Cycle
by ImagineGal
Summary: Ten years after the game ends, one of the Chosen Four has been separated from the group.  This story has recieved rave reviews. Rated PG13 for adult language and content.  WARNING:  REVIEWS PROBABLY CONTAIN SPOILERS.
1. A New Beginning

The room was dark. No footprints lay imprinted in the smooth layer of dust on the floor, save two. Two footprints stood, oddly, on the surface of a round table in the middle of the room, by which was a simple wooden chair, covered in cobwebs.  
  
A door opened, a single light flickered and turned on directly over the round table.  
  
A man stood silhouetted in the doorway, hunched over as if he were exhausted. Slowly, he entered the room and walked towards the table. His feet left footprints, but somehow a breeze blew through the room, covering each one up again. The two footprints on the table lay untouched.  
  
The man sat down in the chair, which creaked under his weight. His deep brown eyes held a blank, unreadable look, as if he were trying to figure something out. He ran his fingers through his black hair and rested his elbows on the table. He inhaled deeply and sighed, but no dust entered his mouth. It rose an inch off the table and simply drifted back down again. The man closed his eyes.  
  
Plunk.  A sudden noise made the man open his eyes and look up. A small, round stone lay in the middle of the table, directly between the two footprints.  
  
Without thinking, he picked it up, held it to his forehead, and closed his eyes.  
  
A sharp, twanging note vibrated through his skull, like a guitar string about to break.  
  
Then it broke.  
  
The sudden pain, like an electric shock, shot through his brain and down his spine. He threw the stone away from himself and clutched his forehead, howling in pain.  
  
*  
  
The man awoke to the usual sounds of moaning and feet going by the door. He felt no agony over his dream, nor did he have to wonder where he was.  
  
First of all, he didn't remember the dream. Second, he had been where he was for the past ten years... Fourside Hospital for the Mentally Unstable. Waking up on the small cot was no strange thing to him anymore. But to many people, he himself was quite a strange thing.  
  
The oddest case of amnesia anyone has ever recorded, someone had quoted about him. The thing was, the man couldn't remember a damn thing from age 16 down. Okay, well, maybe two things... The first was a flash of bright light and the feeling of being thrown backwards. Then, blackness.  
  
After that, his memory was perfectly normal: he had awakened in a hospital, but then had been transported to this place after they found out about his 'lapses'... Flashes of memories that lasted everywhere from a minute to an hour, where he apparently rambled on and on about the most absurd things. And when it was over he couldn't recall anything he had said.  
  
The doctors asked him about some of the things he allegedly claimed to 'remember'. "You said something about a giant sea monster..." "...Mentioned the word 'blue' several times..." "Any recollection of a large, glittering statue?"  
  
"...A giant eye..." "...Some sort of 'magic cake'... Did you perhaps take drugs?" "...A blues band..." "...A lost love..."  
  
But alas, he couldn't recall a thing. Zero. Nada. Zip.  
  
What the hell is wrong with me?,  he had wondered in the beginning. But by now he was used to the questionings, the odd things they claim he said.  
  
Except maybe for one.  
  
The lost love.  
  
Who was  she, he kept asking himself over and over... Or perhaps he? Lord knows he very well could have been gay... But no, no, no, it was just insane ramblings, his mind fought back. All the doctors said so, although maybe not using that terminology. He had seen several psychiatrists to try and discover the 'hidden meanings' behind his flashbacks... But there were no hidden meanings. It was all false. Untrue. Made up. Besides, as one said, "You would've remembered long ago if they had been true."  
  
"...you said there was a note..." A note from who? His lost love, perhaps? "...PSI..." PSI... What the hell was PSI? "...short men with big noses..." So? There were lots of short men with big noses in the world. "...telekinetic powers..." If he did have them, he woulda teleported out of here as quickly as possible. "...Spanish gamblers..." Now that was just WEIRD...  
  
As they had told him, they had tried to record his monologues a few times, only to find that he had knocked the tape recorder over and either stomped on it of bashed it with something, shouting over and over, "NO! NO ONE IS SUPPOSED TO KNOW!" Somehow, even when they had tried bugging him, the room, or themselves, he had found the microphone and destroyed it.  
  
They also mentioned friends... He had said their names so many times in his ramblings, but he had said them so fast it was hard to discern one from the other.  
  
Friends. He rolled his eyes and blew a small puff of air out the side of his mouth. He didn't have any friends. If they would, they woulda at least come to visit him.  
  
Unless they  were all in insane asylums too... And a family... Hadn't he had a family?  
  
He couldn't rember. Just like everything else he couldn't remember.  
  
He didn't have time for any more thoughts. His mind went blank, his eyes glazed over, and he went into a ramble that lasted nearly forty-five minutes. When he awoke, he was still in bed. A doctor stood over him, scribbling fiercely on a notepad.  
  
The cycle begins anew. 


	2. Insanity

He really does look crazy.  
  
The woman stood in the doorway, looking at the man she had come to visit, her green eyes holding a sense of pain and sadness. A single tear rolled down her cheek, but she delicately wiped it away and took a deep breath. She walked through the door where two men were stationed in case anything happened, into the room where there was a security camera mounted on the wall.  
  
What do you expect from an insane asylum?  she asked herself, walking to the other end of the long table and sitting down. He didn't even look up.  
  
"Hello, Ness." she said after a minute. He still didn't look up.  
  
"Ness?"  
  
The second time she said it, something twinged in the man's mind, like a light switch being turned on. Though a very dim light, it was enough to make him look up and ask, "Are you talking to me?"  
  
The moment of silence that followed gave him time to study her somewhat. She was wearing a green sweater that accentuated the color of her eyes, by the way she was holding her arms he could tell that her hands were folded quite neatly in her lap. Her blonde, wavy hair fell to her shoulders in glorious cascades.  
  
She was pretty, he thought before he was able to stop himself. The only thing that unnerved him was the look on her face. She was staring at him so hard and with such remorse... As if she was trying to see into his mind...  
  
"Who are you?" he asked, "Why are you here?"  
  
"I've come to get you out of here." she said simply.  
  
A slight grin flashed across the man's face, "Well, I hate to break it to 'ya, toots, but there's no chance in hell of me ever getting out of here. Do you even read  the newspapers?"  
  
"I want to help you." was the reply.  
  
He studied her again. The look on her face had changed from painful to almost desperate, and it seemed she was doing her best to cover it up.  
  
If only he knew what she was looking for, why she wanted so bad to get him out of here. It probably had something to do with his past, but did he even want  to remember those times? It was the first time he'd actually thought about the fact that the time he couldn't remember was so horrible, his mind had just sort of... pushed it away. The doctors had considered that possibility several times, but he had never taken them so seriously. Could sixteen years really be all that bad?  
  
"Why?" he asked, knowing that the answer probably wouldn't make much sense anyway.  
  
There was another pause, short this time, "Because you don't belong here."  
  
He sighed and rolled his eyes. His prediction had been right on target.  
  
"Are you telling me you think you do  belong here?" she asked incredulously.  
  
He didn't want to answer. By now he was convinced that if anyone  in this room belonged in an insane asylum, it was this woman. Where had she been living for the last ten years? On Mars?  
  
Her staring was becoming annoying. "What are you, some kind of hypnotist or something?"  
  
"Pardon me?"  
  
"I mean you're acting like you're in a damn staring contest. Don't you ever blink, for Christ's sake?"  
  
"I blink perfectly fine," she said, sounding indignant.  
  
He crossed his arms and stared right back at her. Eventually she sighed and looked at the floor.  
  
He grinned, "I win. So tell me... Why are you here? Really. You another psychiatrist? You gonna try to find out about my 'troubled experiences' as a child or how someone might have brainwashed me? I got news for you, babes, that game's already been played. And nobody's been able to find the winner, cause it's whatever made me forget everything."  
  
She seemed to be trying to search for the right words. Then she found them. She looked up.  
  
"I know you've had some hard times..." she began, "I mean, it must be pretty hard not to go insane in a place like this-"  
  
That was it. "God, lady, don't you get it? I am  insane!" he stood right up out of his chair, "What do you think they've been tellin' me for the past ten years? The tests? The questionings? Those weird times when I blank out, and I say and do God knows what!" he was walking down the length of the table, towards her, "I'm gonna ask you again, one more time. Who are you and what do you want?!" he finished, kneeling down right next to her chair. The two men came into the room and watched him, ready in case he 'tried anything'.  
  
She opened her mouth to answer, but stopped the moment she saw an empty look creep into his eyes. A hand reached up to brush her cheek gently.  
  
"Paula..." he murmured.  
  
She smiled a bit, unsure as to what was going on.  
  
"He's having another attack!" one of the men exclaimed, and reached for the man's shoulder to stand up him so he could get him out of there.  
  
But he had not yet reached the two of them when the man leaned forward and kissed the woman right on the mouth. She drew back a little, startled, but they stayed connected for almost two seconds before both guards grabbed him and began to haul him off.  
  
"No!" the man shouted, trying to pry loose from the guards' grips. He made two fists and held them together as if he was holding a long pole of some sort. He began to swing his imaginary weapon around fiercely as they virtually dragged him out of the room.  
  
Paula sat there, in a daze. She hardly heard a doctor come in and say We're sorry, but you'll have to go now. It was almost someone else who walked down the hallways of the insane asylum, someone else who got into her car.  
  
He had said her name.  
  
Paula leaned on the steering wheel and cried. 


	3. That Was His Name

"Poo? Is that you? Yeah, it's Paula... Yes, I did... No, I- Poo, they weren't... No... Right... Right... No, he didn't... Yes, he- what? Poo? Poo! I can't hear- oh, there you are.... Listen, Poo, I don't wanna talk about it right now... All right, I will... Good night."  
  
Paula turned off her cell phone and looked at it a moment before putting it back in her bag. She opened the door to the hotel room and went in. Someone was sitting on one of the two beds in the room, reading a book. He looked up when she entered, his eyes magnified by thick glasses.  
  
"You're back." he said.  
  
Paula didn't answer at first. There were so many things she wanted to say, but this wasn't exactly the time. "Yes." was all she said, walking to sit on the other bed.  
  
"So?" he asked, taking off his glasses and polishing them with a piece of cloth.  
  
"So..." she sighed, sitting heavily on her bed, the occurrences of the visit weighing don on her shoulders. "I guess we've found him." she said, looking up.  
  
"Hmm." he said, replacing his glasses. She replied with a similar quotation before turning to look out the window. She stood up again and walked to it, staring out in the direction of Threed. Fourside was an immense city, bustling with more life than it had ever been. The Monotolli building was no longer the tallest in the city, it was dwarfed by a few others that rose into the clouds and had to have lights on top to warn airplanes. Her eyes drifted from the old cafe to the Monotolli building to the insane asylum.  
  
"If only he knew how close he was to the truth." she said quietly.  
  
"Hmm?" he asked.  
  
"Think about it, Jeff," said Paula, "It's all around him, everything we did, everything we saw. Now we need him more than ever..." she sat back down on her bed, "...We knew where he was all along, we could've come here sooner if we didn't have to keep defending this damn world-"  
  
"Shh." Jeff said reassuringly, laying a hand on Paula's shoulder, "It's not the world's fault that this happened. This world's what's keeping us alive... And Ness, too." he said, withdrawing his hand.  
  
Paula sighed, "I suppose." she rested her chin in one hand. "It's going to be hard getting him back to the way he was before..."  
  
"I know..."  
  
Paula paused a moment before getting down off the bed and kneeling beside it. "I'm going to pray." she said.  
  
*  
  
The black-out lasted only about five minutes, but when he came to his senses he was back in his room, sitting on his bed. He watched as a nurse entered the room with a small plastic cup.  
  
"They're not going to question you this time," she said, setting the cup beside the bed, "Here's your medicine."  
  
Ness lowered his eyelids at the medicine. It hadn't done a thing the whole time he had been here. Why would it work now?  
  
"Take it." the nurse said, and left.  
  
Ness picked up the cup, tilted his head back, and swallowed the small pills. Nothing to do now but just lie here, he thought. He hated just having to stay in his room. It gave him too much time to think. He crumpled the cup in one hand and threw it in the trash.  
  
Ness...  That was his name, wasn't it? Or at least someone close to him... It seemed almost vaguely familiar.  
  
This memory didn't give him any reassurance. It just opened up new doors to new questions. That lady had addressed him as 'Ness'. How could she have known his name? And who was she? None of the doctors in the hospital knew his name because he hadn't known it and they hadn't been able to find anyone who did. And all of a sudden here comes someone who does ? Where was she all this time?  
  
He decided to try and go to sleep. At least the time would go faster...  
  
*  
  
Paula knelt there, praying with her whole heart, while Jeff, in lack of anything else to do, sat looking at his book but not really reading it. One would wonder what he was accomplishing by this, and to tell the truth, he wouldn't have been able to give the answer. He was watching Paula out of his peripheral vision, waiting for something to happen and not really knowing what he was waiting for...  
  
*  
  
Ness blinked and opened his eyes. A bright, blue light was shining down on him. he shielded his eyes and sat up, looking around. Nothing but blackness as far as he could see, only the small blue spotlight shining down upon him.  
  
A soft, kind voice came filtering through the darkness and reached his ears. "Ness..."  
  
Ness looked around. That name again,  he thought. By now he was sure it was him.  
  
"It looks like you got your head handed to you." a pause. "So, how about giving it another shot?"  
  
"Giving what another shot?" Ness called. His voice was loud, but it didn't echo. It was swallowed by the darkness around him.  
  
"Excuse me?" the voice asked.  
  
"A... Another shot at what?" Ness stood up, looking up into the source of the light, where the voice seemed to be coming from. "What did I fail in doing? Who are you? Where am I?"  
  
"Why... You're dead, Ness."  
  
"I'm WHAT?"  
  
Like an eclipse was going over it, the blue light was slowly snuffed out. Darkness consumed him.  
  
Suddenly, he felt a presence- there was something there with him.  
  
"Who's there?" he called, looking around.  
  
Somehow in the darkness, he could see an even darker shape- a silhouette. It looked like somebody kneeling, praying. A voice came drifting from somewhere- a voice that sounded like the lady who had visited him that day...  
  
Please.  it said. Please, anyone who can hear this... Please... Help... Give us strength...  
  
Ness wanted to help her, but he couldn't move. He couldn't even speak.  
  
Please... Someone... Anyone... Give us strength to overcome this, our darkest hour...  
  
Like swirling sand, the silhouette dissolved into tiny grains. The grains flew past him, glistening in the darkness. Most of them flew into the abyss. Only one hit him, directly between the eyes.  
  
Onett.  
  
He awoke with a thought on his mind, a thought so clear and pure it could be nothing but the truth.  
  
My name is Ness.  
  
I come from Onett.   



	4. Escape

Another day, another visitor. Ness sighed. Would it be that lady again? If it was, he sure had some questions for her. Then, when she'd answered them and made no sense whatsoever, he'd say 'Whatever, just get me the hell out of here,' and that'd be it.  
  
He hadn't remembered anything beyond that one memory about his name and hometown. Where was  Onett, anyway? Was it far?  
  
Someone walked in. Ness looked up, and it wasn't the woman. Instead, it was a man with blonde hair and large, thick glasses, wearing a nicely pressed shirt and tie, and black pants. He looked very businessman-like.  
  
The man looked at Ness a moment before smiling and holding out a hand, "Ness," he said, "Jeff Andonuts."  
  
Ness didn't shake his hand.  
  
Jeff withdrew his hand and shrugged, "Suit yourself." he began walking to the other end of the table.  
  
"You said my name," said Ness before Jeff had sat down, "Does that mean you're friends with that lady?"  
  
"Paula?" Jeff asked, sitting down, "We're acquainted." he smiled vaguely.  
  
Ness sighed, "Whatever. Have you come to get me outta here, too?"  
  
"I have." Jeff put a briefcase down on the floor. "And I know why you're here."  
  
"Of course you do. Everybody in the friekin' world knows why I'm here."  
  
"No. I mean I really  know why." Jeff said. "So does Paula."  
  
"Why?"  
  
Jeff laughed a bit, "If I told you and they heard, they'd have me  locked away in this place. You wouldn't understand, anyway."  
  
Ness smiled, "At least someone is beginning to make any sense around here."  
  
"So you remember nothing, do you?" Jeff leaned back in his chair.  
  
"Well, actually, I just remembered something yesterday," Ness said.  
  
"Your name?" Jeff guessed before Ness could go on.  
  
"Yeah, I- How'd you know?"  
  
"You knew that I had said it." Jeff smiled, "Whereas when Paula visited you, you didn't even look up when she addressed you by it."  
  
"You think you're pretty smart, huh?"  
  
Jeff shrugged modestly.  
  
"Listen," Ness said, leaning on the table, "You seem to be the only person in ten damn years that I've been able to understand in the least bit, so I think I'll level with you here- There is no way you're gettin' me outta this place. I'm a scientific curiosity; there's no chance of them letting me outta their sight."  
  
"Perhaps." Jeff shrugged and leaned forward as well, "But perhaps they can yield with the right persuasion..."  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"My father happens to be a very revered scientist." Jeff was speaking quietly, so Ness, but not the men outside, could hear him, "After he's through with them, they'll let you go."  
  
"And just how  is this going to be accomplished?" Ness asked.  
  
Jeff just grinned before getting up out of his chair. "Fear not, my friend," he said, "You will be free before the day is out..."  
  
*  
  
Ness entered the hotel room, followed by the old man who had come to pick him up. A very odd old man indeed, and Ness could only assume he was Jeff's father, the redeemed scientist. He was completely baffled at how his escape had been accomplished. When he inquired, the great doctor replied that it had indeed taken quite a bit of persuasion. He had had to sign all sorts of papers after saying that he needed Ness for an experiment.  
  
"Which, actually, is not very far from the truth." said a voice. Ness turned. It was Paula. She was leaning against the dresser. "Remember me?" she asked.  
  
"Yes and no." Ness answered a bit darkly.  
  
"Sorry," Paula said, walking forward, "But a little humor is needed in a time like this, y'know?" she turned to Jeff's father, "Thank you for doing this, Doctor."  
  
"My pleasure," Dr. Andonuts said, holding his hand out and forcing Ness to back up against the wall in the small area. "I'd do anything for a cause as noble as this."  
  
"I'll keep that in mind." Paula smiled. "Thanks again."  
  
"Good luck." Dr. Andonuts said, and was gone.  
  
Ness watched the doctor leave, then turned to Paula, "All right." he said, "I guess I should thank you for getting me out of there-"  
  
"You're welcome."  
  
"-but what did he mean 'a cause as noble as this'? What have I got to do with you or that guy with the big glasses?"  
  
Paula didn't answer, "Jeff said you remembered something last night."  
  
"Well..." Ness rubbed the back of his neck, "...yeah. Two things. My name. And where I used to live."  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Ness."  
  
"Where?"  
  
"Onett. Wherever the hell that is-" he added under his breath.  
  
"Good." Paula said. She realized they were still standing in the small area between the entrance and the main part of the room. "Um... come in?" she said, a but unsure.  
  
"Don't mind if I do." Ness walked past her, then flopped down on the bed, "Ah, man, this sure beats that stiff old cot. I've been sleepin' on that for..." he paused, "...as long as I can remember." The last part of the sentence had an almost sad quality to it.  
  
"I know." Paula sighed and sat down next to where he lay. "You remembered nothing else?"  
  
"Nope." he said, staring at the ceiling.  
  
"All right," she sighed again, then stood up, "I think I know of something that can help jog your memory. Jeff, Poo and I are going to try and find it, and you should come too. But you have to promise to stay with one of us at all times. Okay?"  
  
Ness sighed. He didn't like the idea of this lady bossing him around, but she and that nerdy friend of hers- and his dad- had certainly gotten him out of the insane asylum for some reason. He figured he could trust them until he found out what that reason was.  
  
"Sure," he agreed, sitting up and looking her right in the face, "I'll play along."  
  
"Good." she said, "Now c'mon. And you may wanna brace yourself..." 


	5. Not Just You

Brace yourself was right. The first thing Paula did was take Ness to the mall to buy him some clothes. "We've got time before we have to meet Poo," she explained.  
  
Besides the fact that he hated shopping- he seemed to remember that quite easily- Ness also was afraid of having a lapse while in the mall. Paula assured him that he could trust her. "I don't think your lapses will be... quite as severe when you're around Jeff, Poo, or I." she explained.  
  
"What, have you got some sort of magical powers?" Ness asked, buckling his seatbelt in the car. Paula didn't answer. She just put the car into gear.  
  
*  
  
"So where are we going now?" Ness asked. It was dark. Paula was driving the car, and they were apparently on their way out of Fourside. Ness was wearing sneakers, jeans, a white T-shirt, and an open, black button-down shirt over it. Ness fastened the buttons on the ends of his sleeves as he talked. "And who is  that?" he asked, tilting his head to one side to indicate the man sitting next to Jeff in the back seat. The man was sitting in the seat cross-legged, and he was wearing some sort of tan robe and pants with gold trim. He wasn't speaking. He was just sitting there with his eyes closed, smiling.  
  
"Oh. That's Poo." Paula explained. "He's meditating."  
  
"How did he get  here?" Ness asked, confused.  
  
"Teleport Omega." Paula said, "Instant travel from one place to the next. You don't have to move an inch."  
  
Ness just raised an eyebrow.  
  
They traveled out of Fourside and across a bridge. They were in a new place now, a smaller town, and Ness felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up as they entered. Something about this town wasn't right.  
  
They drove through the town until they reached a tunnel. Paula and Jeff got out of the car. Ness turned, and Poo was still sitting there. Ness shook his head, sighed, and got out of the car. Paula and Jeff were standing, looking at the tunnel.  
  
"What-" Ness started.  
  
"Wait." said Paula. At that moment, Poo emerged from the car, his hands held together as one might hold them in prayer. He walked forward a few paces and looked at Ness with a knowing sort of smile on his face.  
  
"Something funny?" Ness asked.  
  
"You haven't changed a bit." was all Poo said before walking up to where the other two were standing.  
  
Paula turned after a moment and held out a hand, "Ness, c'mon."  
  
Ness took her hand and joined them, a bit apprehensively. He noticed they were all holding hands.   
  
When all four of them were in a line, Poo walked in front and around, and took Ness' hand. They were now in a circle.  
  
"Concentrate." Paula muttered, her eyes closed.  
  
"On what?" Ness asked. She didn't answer.  
  
Ness had no idea what to do, but before he knew what was going on, he felt the circle of people being yanked into the tunnel by some unknown force. What the hell-?  his eyes widened in amazement. Faster they went through the tunnel. At first the end was close, but the tunnel itself seemed to stretch out as they went faster and faster-  
  
When suddenly they were standing on a patch of thick, bluish-green grass. Paula and Poo opened their eyes and looked up; Jeff, Ness noticed, had not been doing a thing.  
  
"Was that Teleport Omega?" Ness asked, breathless.  
  
"Nope." Paula answered, "That wasn't Teleport. It was a key in a lock."  
  
But to where?  Ness asked himself, looking around. It certainly was a very odd place. They were standing right next to a paved road, the edges of which seemed to have a sort of glistening quality to them. The very blades of grass they were standing on even had an eerie, glowing luminescence to them.  
  
Paula began leading the four of them up the road. It was twisted, full of curves and sharp corners, and turns that seemed to go nowhere at all. But Paula knew the way. She stopped at a stretch of straight road.  
  
"Here," she said, "This should be safe." she turned to Ness, "We have to get somewhere far off in a hurry. Flat stretches are the best place."  
  
"Is this Teleport Omega now?" Ness asked.  
  
"Nope. We'll use Alpha... Something as powerful as Omega might be too stressful on you right now." they all held hands again in a line, Poo in front. "Ready?" Paula asked.  
  
"As I'll ever be." Ness sighed.  
  
"Right. Go ahead, Poo."  
  
Poo stared straight ahead for a moment. Then he began to run, pulling the rest of them behind him. "Woah!" Ness exclaimed, but they were going so fast he couldn't hear his own voice...  
  
It was a short trip, and they stopped slowly and gradually, but after all that traveling with keys in the locks and teleporting, Ness still felt like throwing up. He didn't, but he still had to sit down for a moment.  
  
"Where are  we, anyway?" he asked, looking around.  
  
"Onett." Paula said.  
  
"This  is Onett?" Ness asked, astonished.  
  
"Yes and no." Paula said, imitating his dark tone from earlier.  
  
Ness wasn't up to explanations right now; he felt too sick. He leaned back against one of the softly glowing trees and looked up into the sky. He nearly did a double-take.  
  
It was night all right, no doubt about that, but the stars... They were anything but white. Pink and yellow and orange and blue and green... What did they  have me on?  Ness thought, thinking of his medicine.  
  
"Perhaps it would be best if we got going," Jeff suggested.  
  
"Yeah." Paula looked around a bit nervously. She held a hand out to Ness, "You feel better now?"  
  
"I'm all right." Ness refused her hand and stood up on his own. He brushed his own hands on his pant legs and looked up into the sky again, "Is it just me or is something extremely screwed up around here?"  
  
"Believe me, it's definitely not just you." Paula said, looking up herself. "Let's get going." she added after a few seconds. Ness followed them. Suddenly he stopped walking. His eyes glazed over and his mind went blank...  
  
"Home." he murmured.  
  
"What?" Jeff asked, turning. Paula and Poo turned as well.  
  
"Mom! Tracy!" Ness began to run forward. He ran right through the other three, nearly bowling Paula over. She dodged just in time.  
  
"NESS!" she hollered, and began to run after him, "STOP!!"  
  
"Mom!" Ness ran along the path, heading for the house at the end of it. Paula was in hot pursuit of him, with Poo and Jeff behind her.  
  
Ness was nearly at the gate. "Ness! Please stop!" Paula cried.   
  
He stopped.  
  
"Oh, thank-" Paula started, but then saw why  Ness had stopped.  
  
A shape like a ghost, white and immense, was speeding through the air. Ness was watching it zig-zag through the sky open-mouthed, and as it swerved and started for him, his empty eyes saw it was in the shape of a gargantuan skull.  
  
"Ness!" Paula began to run again. Ness didn't seem to hear her; he didn't move an inch.  
  
"Giygas..." he whispered to himself. The skull sped up, its jawbone dropped, revealing fang-like teeth and a sort of hideous grin.  
  
"NESS!"  
  
Ness' eyes closed for a moment, then snapped back open; his lapse was over. He saw the skull speeding towards him, only twenty feet away now, a little more than twice his height, gruesome, leaving a tail of white light behind it...  
  
The next second happened so fast he doubted it had really happened afterwards.  
  
He raised his hands as the skull came close to swallowing him up.  
  
Ness performed PSI ROCKIN' Alpha!


	6. Page One

Ness watched as the monster turned to a powdery dust and fell to the ground.  
  
"Ness! Ness! Oh my God-" Paula threw her arms around him. Ness was in such a shock from what he had just done that she almost weighed him down.  
  
"That..." Jeff said, coming up behind Ness, "Was a Skullspirit." he ran a hand through his blonde hair, "Thankfully, a very weak monster."  
  
"Most impressive, Ness." Poo clapped a hand on the shoulder that didn't have a woman's face pressed against it.  
  
Ness seemed to be slowly coming back to his senses, "Mo- mon- mon- MONSTER?!" he exclaimed, pulling away from all three of them and slamming backwards into the gate. "WOAH! Wait a minute!" he was holding onto the gate with one hand, almost to steady himself. He gestured wildly with the other. "Monster? "  
  
"Ness-" Paula started, venturing forward.  
  
"Wait!" Ness shouted. He started laughing nervously, "You... You're telling me... Wait a second, let me just get this straight..." he used both hands to support himself now. He was still laughing, "That- thing - was a monster ?!"  
  
Oh great,  Paula thought, Now he's  really gone crazy.  She walked forward again, "Ness, please. Listen to me-"  
  
"What kind of monster, exactly?" Ness asked, still sounding hysterical, "Was- ha ha ha- Was that the kind of monster that- that hides under your bed? Or- or in your closet? Y'know, there are so many different types, and you know everyone's seen at least one-"  
  
"NESS, SNAP OUT OF IT!" Paula slapped him across the face. She felt her own face fall, "Oh, Ness, I'm so sorry-"  
  
"No, no." Ness said. He had stopped laughing, "Actually, thank you. I needed that..." He let go of the fence and stood up.  
  
"I should say you did," Jeff said, "A bit of a shock you got there, I suppose..."  
  
"I do not mean to interrupt," said Poo suddenly, "But it is getting quite late, and no doubt more monsters are on their way. We should get what we came for and leave."  
  
"Right." Paula nodded, "Jeff and Poo, you wait out here and keep on the lookout. Ness, you come with me. Let's go." She opened the gate to the house.  
  
Ness looked up at it. Somehow his feet felt rooted to the ground.  
  
"Ness, c'mon," said Paula. Ness willed his feet to move, and followed her in.  
  
The house was dark. Wait, scratch that. Everything in the house was black. With glowing neon outlines. It nearly made Ness' eyes hurt just to look around.  
  
Paula walked in, silently. There didn't seem to be anyone there. She turned, and Ness was hesitating in the doorway. She felt a feeling of pity settle on her shoulders. Here he was, back in this own home- No matter how different it was now, it was still his home- and he didn't recognize it a bit.  
  
Save it for later , she told herself, turned, and walked further into the house. She passed the small table where the phone used to rest; in place of the phone was what looked like a Picasso painting brought to life and gone wrong. It was so twisted and weird that Paula could barely stand to look at it. She kept going till she reached the bookcase.  
  
It was at this point that Ness decided to venture forth into the house. He looked around, then looked down at his hands to make sure he himself wasn't glowing. He wasn't.  
  
A sudden thought crossed his mind, one that had been lingering on the side for a while, but had finally decided to show itself. He opened his mouth to tell Paula, "Paula-" he started.  
  
"Shh." she said. She was searching the shelves of the bookcase.  
  
Ness frowned. It seemed she wasn't going to let him say anything, much less ask what she was looking for and could he help, so he looked around until the strange sculpture on the small table caught his eye. It was black like everything else in the room, but slowly pulsating with white light. He walked towards it half-hypnotized, trying to make out the strange curves and corners. But suddenly something lying beside it caught his attention.  
  
It was a thick, binder-like book, and the edges glowed brown. Ness picked it up and opened it.  
  
A hot white light burned across his face. He shut the book quickly.  
  
"What was that?" Paula asked, turning.  
  
"Uh-" Ness said.  
  
"You found it!" Paula ran up to him, looking at the book. "Now, let's get out of here."  
  
*  
  
And so they went... Teleport Alpha back to the tunnel, then through it- They didn't need a key this time, they only had to set foot in the tunnel and back they were at the car. Ness looked up. The stars were normal.  
  
Paula and Jeff got back into the car. Ness stood looking into the depths of the tunnel, wondering what would happen if he set foot in it without the key-  
  
He felt a hand on his shoulder. Poo.  
  
"All will be explained in time, my friend." Poo said.  
  
"Poo, right?" Ness asked, acting as though that name, along with the other two, wasn't burned deeply into his mind, "You seem like a real spiritual guy. Lemme ask you something."  
  
Poo held up a hand to silence him. "All in time." Then he closed his eyes and vanished.  
  
Teleport Omega.  
  
*  
  
A dream... It was all a dream... It can't have been real... Paula, Jeff, Poo.... That weird monster-skull-thing... That can't have been real. I must have been dreaming.  
  
Then why is this bed so soft?  
  
Ness opened his eyes, and saw that he was still in the hotel. It hadn't been a dream after all.  
  
Great,  he thought bitterly, sitting up.  
  
"Ness?" the door to the adjoining room opened a crack, and Paula's voice filtered in, "You up?"  
  
"Depends on your definition of 'up'," Ness called back.  
  
"Good," said Paula, "Get dressed, okay? Then we'll see if we can get you to remember anything."  
  
Ness' eyes glanced at the digital clock beside the hotel bed. It was nine-thirty in the morning.  
  
"Why not?" he asked, more to himself than anyone else, and got out of bed. His jeans were lying right beside the bed; he pulled them on and walked to the dresser, where all the different shirts he and Paula had bought yesterday were put. He opened the drawer, when he felt a presence in the room. He turned and gave a small shout of surprise. Poo was lying on the other bed.  
  
"God, will you please knock  before you teleport?" Ness asked, picking out a red sweater with a yellow stripe through the middle.  
  
"Impossible." Poo said quite simply, "For you see, there is no door-"  
  
"Spare me the explanations, Public Transportation Boy." Ness said, putting the sweater on, "It's early."  
  
"I understand this concept of earliness," said Poo, "Not something I practice myself. However, Paula and Jeff need me. And I seem to recall that you needed me as well for something last night." he added as Ness sat down on his own bed.  
  
"Hmm?" Ness asked, yawning, "Oh. Right. Later, okay?" He began pulling on a pair of socks.  
  
"Ness? Are you dressed?" Paula asked.  
  
"Yeah, I'm decent." Ness answered. Paula entered with Jeff and the book, which was still black and still glowing, and no doubt had that same searing light within it. Ness didn't see what help it would be to him, but he didn't say anything.  
  
"All right." Paula sighed, placing the book on the bed where Poo lay, "Everyone place a hand on it." She, Jeff, and Poo did. Ness did, too, but only after a glance from Paula.  
  
There was a rushing noise, as if a strong wind was blowing towards them. The black coloring of the book faded as did the glowing edges, revealing a brown leather binder. Ness didn't bat an eye. After all the weird stuff that had happened recently, seeing a book change color was rather a trivial matter.  
  
"And now," said Poo, "I must be off. I apologize, Ness, perhaps we can talk some other time." He teleported out.  
  
"That guy is extremely weird." said Ness.  
  
"You'll get used to him," Jeff said, "Well, it seems that I must depart as well. I was up rather early, so by now I think it's time for breakfast. You don't mind, Paula?"  
  
"Of course not."  
  
"Good. See you." Jeff was gone.  
  
"Well," Paula said, turning to Ness, "I've got some stuff to do in the other room. You-" she said, handing him the book, "Look at this."  
  
Ness watched her go. He looked at the book in his hands. Could it possibly hold every single secret of his past?  
  
Well, time to find out,  he thought. He sat on his bed and opened to page one. 


	7. Forgotten Wonders

Photos. It was a photo album.  
  
A young boy with a red hat was standing in front of a house that looked remarkably like the one they had gotten this book out of. The boy was flashing a peace sign at the camera. Is this me?  Ness wondered. It certainly didn't ring any bells.  
  
He looked at the other three pictures on the page. The same boy stood by a river. Then outside a cabin with a blonde girl. Then with the same girl, in front of a theater.  
  
Nothing. Not a thing about it looked familiar.  
  
And yet... No, wait... Something in those pictures did  look familiar after all... It was the girl...  
  
"Paula?" Ness whispered. He ran a hand over the one where they stood outside the cabin. As his hand passed over it, the boy in the pictures began to look strangely more familiar...  
  
It was as if a dam had been broken down. Memories flooded his mind like waters of a great river.  
  
Onett...  
  
Peaceful Rest Valley...  
  
Happy-Happy Village...  
  
Chaos Theater...  
  
A smile broke across his face. He turned the page, and this time he didn't have to wonder about anything. It was all coming back to him, even the parts in between the photographs.  
  
Threed... The Zombie Prison... The Desert... Fourside... Moonside... Summers... The Kraken... Scaraba... Deep Darkness... The Lost Underworld...   
  
Magicant, Giygas, Mom, Buzz Buzz, The Tenda, PSI, Brick Road, Magic Butterflies, Sanctuary, King, Mani Mani, Dreams, Tracy, The Runaway Five, Giant Step, Mr. Saturn, Dalaam, Circus Tent, Master Belch, Tea...  
  
Ness...  
  
Paula...  
  
Jeff...  
  
Poo...  
  
I wish you luck.......  
  
"Paula!" Ness exclaimed, slamming the book shut. He rushed towards the other room, bursting with excitement, "I remember everything! I-" he stopped in the doorway as Paula looked up. "Oh, God," he groaned, "You didn't marry Jeff, did you?"  
  
Paula stared at him a moment as if she wasn't daring to believe it. Then she let out a burst of laughter and held up a ringless left hand.  
  
Ness sighed with relief, "Good."  
  
"Don't think he didn't offer," Paula said. "No, I was old fashioned. I waited. And I'm glad you remember, but you have to calm down. We don't have time to-"  
  
"I have to talk to Poo. Now." Ness walked closer to her.  
  
"He'll be here later."  
  
"Later, then."   
"Good. But there are some things you have to-" she stopped. Ness was kissing her.  
  
Paula closed her eyes as she felt him pull her close. She wrapped her arms around his neck-  
  
"No!' she exclaimed suddenly, pulling away, "Not now! Not yet! Ness, listen, there isn't time for this right now. You have to find out what's been going on for the past ten years..."  
  
"You said you waited. For ten years, Paula. Isn't that long enough?"  
  
"I can wait a little longer." Paula grabbed his shoulders and sat him down on the bed. "Now," she said, "Do you remember what happened after Picky brought us that note?"  
  
Ness sighed, and thought, "Yeah," he said after a moment, "I do. We tried to find Pokey."  
  
"How long did it take us to find him?" Paula asked.  
  
"A year."  
  
"Right. And where did we finally locate him?"  
  
"In Giant Step. Paula, you don't have to ask me these questions, I remember everything, really-"  
  
"I do  have to ask, Ness. You'll see why. Now, what happened when we found Pokey?"  
  
Ness closed his eyes and sighed. The scene came back to him as though it had been yesterday...  
  
"Ah, welcome, Ness." Pokey said from within his spider-mech. "I see you've brought your little cavalry with you. How touching. But I am afraid you're too late."  
  
"He said we were too late." Ness said.  
  
"Right. Then what?"  
  
"Give it up, Pokey," said Ness, "Giygas is dead."  
  
"Oh, the horrors!" Pokey said in mock surprise, "Well, I'm afraid that much is true, yes. But don't think I haven't grown stronger, Ness. I have."  
  
"Evil shall never win," Ness declared, stepping closer. "No matter how strong!"  
  
"How cliche," Pokey yawned, "Well, I fear it's time to kill you all. Farewell."  
  
"Ness-" Paula started.  
  
"He said he was going to kill us. I stepped closer. You said my name."  
  
"Good."  
  
Poo performed PSI Shield Omega!  
  
"Poo performed PSI Shield Omega."  
  
Silence.  
  
"Then...?" Paula asked.  
  
"Then..." Ness concentrated.  
  
Nothing.  
  
"I can't..." he started, and faded off.  
  
"Ness, I know Pokey said something before he hit that button. You were the only one close enough to hear. What did he say?"  
  
The shield spread from Poo to Jeff to Paula. It headed for Ness and was halfway around him when-  
  
"PSI Memory Alpha." Ness said, opening his eyes.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Pokey knows PSI." Ness said, looking up at her.  
  
"What?!"  
  
"He does. And... He's the one who made me forget everything. He said 'PSI Memory Alpha' and he pressed that button.... We were all hit with a white flash of light, but I was hit with the spell and was thrown backwards because I was only half-covered with the shield..."  
  
"That explains your lapses, then..." Paula said, looking out the window, "You could only half-remember..."  
  
"But what happened to Onett?" Ness asked.  
  
Paula sighed and looked at the floor. "The flash of light wasn't the PSI," she explained, "The PSI was invisible. The white light was dimensional scrambler. It sent Onett into another world. A world of Pokey's creation. Since we were protected, we managed to escape... You escaped the scrambler as well, but you were hit with the PSI before the shield covered you...  
  
"I don't know why you say you were thrown backwards... Because you didn't move. You just collapsed. We were forced to escape without you, and we planned to get you from the hospital... But Pokey kept us too busy. It took him all of those ten years to get Twoson as well, and now he's started on Threed..."  
  
"So Pokey's creating his own world, huh?" Ness asked.  
  
"Yeah. Pokey's Earth. He modeled it after Moonside, and hoped to enlist the help of the Mani-Mani statue in building it..."  
  
"But the Mani-Mani was broken in half," Ness said, "When we destroyed Moonside."  
  
"It's spirit still exists, though." said Paula. She looked at him, "In Magicant."  
  
"But I-"  
  
"No, you didn't." Paula sighed and sat down next to him, "Because Magicant isn't real, the things that happen in it can be rearranged. Therefore, when you destroyed the Mani-Mani, it stayed destroyed for a while, then came back when you remembered it, just now. Pokey wanted to be the one get to you first, so he could give you fake memories and make him give you the Mani-Mani's spirit. But we kept him from you. And now that you remember, you're going to have to keep him from getting into Magicant.  
  
"And before you ask me if you can control the rearranging in Magicant," she went on when Ness opened his mouth, "I'll tell you that you can't. It's controlled by something far more powerful than the human mind alone... We don't know just what that is, but we're trying to find out. And when we do, we'll make sure Pokey can never get in."  
  
"I don't get it." Ness said after a moment's silence, "Haven't people noticed that two towns have just gone missing off the face of the earth?"  
  
"No," Paula shook her head, "Not even my parents, who we managed to save... We're the only ones who do because we're powerful enough to overcome the waves of the scrambler..." she stood up and walked to the window. "Everyone else's mind is just too weak."  
  
"So what happens if someone drives through the tunnel from Threed?"  
  
"They end up in the town that Twoson and Onett used to be blocking them from. This world is slowly growing smaller-" she turned to look at him, "And we're the only ones who can bring it back."   
  
There was a silence that descended on Ness' shoulders like a heavy blanket. This was all happening too quickly, he thought... And yet, it all made sense now. It was almost a relief to have all this sudden information piled atop his brain...  
  
"Am I too late for the explanation of Pokey's world?" said a voice. Poo was back.  
  
"Yes, unfortunately." said Paula.  
  
"Ah, Ness." said Poo, walking up to the one he was addressing, "So you have recovered your forgotten adventures, have you?"  
  
"Yup."  
  
"The wonders beyond all imagination?"  
  
"You betcha."  
  
"How do you feel?"  
  
"Like I got somethin' to say. And no teleporting out on me this time..." 


	8. Smaaaaash!

"Paula, you should hear this too." Ness said. He then turned to Poo, "Do you know why I started laughing after I beat that skull thing?"  
  
Poo smiled, as if he knew the answer he was about to give would be the wrong one, "You were in shock." he said.  
  
"But that's just it." Ness said, grinning, "I wasn't.  When I used PSI CAT... I don't know, I felt some sort of release. It felt so weird, I guess I didn't know how to react to it, so I just... started laughing."  
  
"How strange." Poo lifted an eyebrow knowingly.  
  
"But now I wanna go back." Ness pounded a fist in a palm, "Let's go kick some big, fat Pokey ass!"  
  
"You were right, Poo." Paula smiled, "He really hasn't changed a bit." she sat down next to Ness, "Now stop acting like the teenager you used to be, Ness. It's time to be an adult about this. You've been out of touch so long you've lost a lot of your strength."  
  
"Whadda you mean? I remember every spell I knew!" Ness began counting on his fingers, "Lifeup, Healing, PSI ROCKIN', PSI Flash-"  
  
"But Poo and I have been training for all these ten years." Paula said, "I mean, the only one weaker than you right now is Jeff, and he doesn't know any."  
  
"How nice this is to know." Ness sighed.  
  
"But it's the truth." said Paula, shrugging, "We'll go back to Pokey's world today so you can train. You need it."  
  
"Fine then. If training it has to be, then train I shall." Ness said as the door to the room opened, "I just feel like I gotta battle something ."  
  
"Hey, Jeff!" Paula said to the one who had just entered, "Look who's back!"  
  
Jeff smiled. There went his chances with Paula, he thought. Kerplunk. Right down the drain.  
  
"I suppose we'll be going to Pokey's Earth, then." he said, walking over to them.  
  
"Correct," said Poo, "But I fear our female friend and former leader may be requiring sustenance."  
  
"Oh. Right." Ness said, suddenly realizing how hungry he was. Jeez, remembering 16 years of your life can really work up an appetite,  he thought.  
  
*  
  
The key-in-the-lock trick took just a little less time, now that Ness knew what to do. He felt so suddenly in tune with all his mental powers- it was so weird to just be back on track of everything within a blink of an eye like that. But Ness loved it. He kept going over every memory he had recovered that morning, as if they were dreams he had had the night before, and he'd better go over them or he could lose them in a half-second.   
  
It came as no surprise to Ness that Jeff had offered Paula his hand. He had always suspected that Jeff had his eye on her, even if he was too embarrassed to admit it with Ness around all the time. Ness grinned as they shot through the tunnel. Now at least he could torment Jeff about it for a while-  
  
Nah. Time to start acting like an adult...  Paula was right.  
  
Sort of.  
  
They stopped at the same place. Ness looked down at the road he and Paula had once ridden on with the Runaway Five in their tour bus.   
  
Or maybe it was no longer the same road.  
  
Whatever.  
  
"So where to now?" he asked.  
  
"Nowhere in particular." said Paula, "We just gotta find a monster."  
  
"Right," said Ness. He started walking. The rest followed, "So what kinda monsters are we talkin' about, here?"  
  
"Well, there's the Skullspirit..." Paula said, "Pokey created it real early on, so it's not very strong..."  
  
"What else?"  
  
"Mini-Minis," said Jeff, "Small versions of the Mani-Mani statue. They have about half the power of the original."  
  
"There's also Ribboknots," Paula started, "They-" she stopped.  
  
"What?" Ness asked. Then he saw what. Something was floating down the road towards them.  
  
"That's a Mirra." Paula whispered, "Stronger than a Skullspirit, but you'll be able to take it. Go for it, Ness."  
  
Ness felt a sudden wave of panic sweep over him, "Alone?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah. You'll get more experience that way. And we'll help if things start getting desperate."  
  
Ness gulped. Maybe Paula was right. He was inexperienced...  
  
Well, that's why you have to fight that thing,  he told himself. He set his jaw and walked towards the Mirra.  
  
It was a round, shining Mirror with a gold frame and two eyes on top, with what looked like small laser guns pointing towards the center of the mirror. Its eyes shifted to Ness as he confronted it.   
  
"Wait a second!" Ness shouted suddenly, turning to his friends, "What sort of weapon am I supposed to-" he was cut off and fell to the ground as a beam hit him at the base of his neck. "Shit!" he exclaimed, massaging the spot that had been hit. His eyes flicked to the edge of the forest on the side of the road. A rather large stick lay abandoned by its tree. Ness' eyes lit up. He scrambled to his feet and scooped it up off the ground.  
  
A sort of mad grin spread across his face as he stood and felt the wood clasped in his fists. His mind blanked, but it wasn't a lapse this time. He didn't need to think. He was back on the battlefield.  
  
The Mirra sped through the air towards its head, and Ness reared back with the stick, swinging with all his might.  
  
SMAAAAASH!  
  
The Mirra went spinning out of control a bit, then swerved in mid-air and began spinning around. Light glinted off the double-sided mirror.  
  
Mirra performed PSI Flash Alpha!  
  
Ness felt tears welling up in his eyes. He quickly performed Healing Beta, and the tears evaporated just in time for him to see the Mirra coming for him again. It hit him in the side of the head, knocking him to the ground again.  
  
Ness stood and swung, and just barely missed. The Mirra was flying around his head.  
  
Ness performed Shield Beta!  The shield covered Ness just as the Mirra fired another beam. The beam hit Ness in the shoulder but bounced back to the Mirra as well, hitting it right between the eyes. Ness stumbled a bit from the beam, but kept his balance.   
  
The Mirra sped for him again. Ness swung the stick, and the mirror shattered, leaving an empty frame. The frame, too, fell to the ground after a moment. The Mirra was defeated.  
  
Ness smiled again. "Yeah!" he said breathlessly, running a hand through his hair.  
  
"Quite excellent, my friend!" Poo shouted from behind him. Ness turned as the shield around him evaporated; it was no longer useful.  
  
"Guess we better get you a real weapon, huh?" Paula asked as she, Jeff, and Poo walked towards Ness.  
  
"Yeah, I guess." Ness said, still grinning the heck out of himself, "But right now I wanna fight summore. Let's go!"  
  
Paula smiled.  
  
He hasn't changed a bit.


	9. Advice

"So this is Twoson now, huh?" Ness asked. The four of them were walking down the sidewalk, heading back to the tunnel. During the morning, they had traveled all the way up to the road leading to Onett. It had been mostly Mirras and Skullspirits- Paula, Jeff, and Poo explained that Pokey was running out of the power he had gotten from taking Twoson- if he didn't get Threed soon, Pokey would be in big trouble.  
  
"All the more reason we should keep it from him," Paula had said, "If he doesn't capture Threed, he may never get the chance to break into Magicant."  
  
"I wonder why there aren't any people around here," Ness wondered, looking around, "I mean, there were people in Moonside, weren't there?"  
  
"Yes, that's true." said Jeff. He was still feeling a bit disillusioned about the fact that his chances with Paula had gone out the window, but he was starting to recall how good a friend Ness had been to him. He figured Ness needed him now just as much as the other two, "But only the Mani-Mani statue had the power to take over the minds of an entire town, see. Pokey may be strong, but he hasn't got nearly as much power as the Mani-Mani. All he was able to do was put the whole town in a deep sleep most of the time. When they do wake up, they're almost like zombies."  
  
"And how often do they wake up?" Ness asked.  
  
"Not too often." Jeff pushed his glasses up his nose, "They usually start to awaken when Pokey's losing his power rapidly. That's not happening right now."  
  
"I see..." Ness turned to look up the street, "I wonder what Burglin Park is like now."  
  
"We really should get back to reality," said Paula, "You've had enough for one morning-"  
  
"Ah, what's another Skullspirit or two?" Ness held up a hand, "One PSI CAT Alpha and it'll be down."  
  
"Don't get overconfident." Paula said, fearing that what she was warning might have already happened, "You might not have enough Psychic Power left..."  
  
There was a moment of silence. Ness sighed, "All right, then, let's go." he said, and began following them down the sidewalk again.  
  
Suddenly he stopped, "You guys hear that?" he asked.  
  
"Hear what?" Paula inquired, turning.  
  
"Shh." Ness put a finger to his lips. He could hear a sound like something slowly pulsating. It was coming from off to his left.  
  
He turned. In the window of the Polestar Preschool was the same strange sculpture that had sat in his house.   
  
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the three others turn their heads to look at it. The three of them shrank back from it, disgusted looks on their faces.  
  
"...It's hideous..." Paula murmured. She had no idea what it was, but something about it just made her feel nauseous, and yet she couldn't unglue her gaze from it. She tore her eyes away from the sculpture and looked at Ness. He didn't look nauseous at all. He was staring at it with a sort of awed amazement. She wondered why it was having that effect on him. The rest of them were horrified by it...  
  
The look on his face was beginning to make her uneasy. She grabbed his hand, "C'mon, Ness, let's get going." She pulled him away from the window.  
  
After they had gone, the sculpture sat silently in the window. It seemed to be the only thing left alive in the world.  
  
*  
  
"But I wanna go! Why can't I come?"  
  
"It's too dangerous," said Paula, filling her pack with supplies, "We've got to hold off Pokey, and if you come along, it'll be too dangerous."  
  
"But what am I supposed to do?" Ness asked.  
  
"Anything. Just don't blow up the hotel, okay?" with a small smile, Paula picked up her pack and began walking out. The other two men were already waiting for her outside.  
  
"Did you kiss him goodbye?" Jeff was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.  
  
"Honestly, Jeff." Paula rolled her eyes and lifted the backpack onto her shoulders, "Of course I did." she flipped her hair in his face as she walked past him.  
  
*  
  
"Hmmph." Ness flopped backwards onto Paula's bed. An exciting morning had somehow evolved into what looked like a boring afternoon.  
  
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath through his nose, hoping he would catch a bit of her scent in the bedsheets. All he smelled was that weird hotelly scent. It would have been easier if the bed hadn't been made.  
  
He considered leaving the hotel for a while. Paula hadn't said anything about not doing that...  
  
He stood up, self-conciously brushing off his shirt sleeves and front, as if someone had been watching him lie on Paula's bed.  
  
The extra key to the hotel door were lying on the dresser. He scooped it up into his hand, slipped it into his pocket, and left.  
  
*  
  
"Do you think it was a good idea leaving him there alone?" Paula asked. They were all in the car. Jeff was driving this time.  
  
"He'll be able to take care of himself." Jeff said as they turned a corner.  
  
"Yeah, but..." Paula looked out the back window, "I've just got a bad feeling, that's all." she turned to Poo, "Poo? Do you sense anything?"  
  
"Hummmm." Poo hummed. He was meditating again, "Hm?" he asked, breaking out of his trance, "What was that you said, Paula?"  
  
"Do you think it was all right to leave Ness alone?"  
  
"Hmmm." Poo rubbed his chin, "You said yourself that I was right in believing that he has not changed much. Therefore, no, I do not think it was a good idea. On the other hand, he is very much weak from not battling for a long time. I fear there would have been greater danger in bringing him along.  
  
"And Paula, let me to be giving you some advice." Poo once again brought his hands together in that sort of prayer position, "Do not act like mother to Ness. Because of his new-found memories, he is still quite spirited, but he does not lack the common sense as much as he used to, I think. A small improvement it may be, but he will not get in much trouble. He listens to your advice. Give advice, Paula, and you will not need worry." he began meditating again.  
  
Paula stared at Poo for a moment. Then she sighed, and faced front again.  
  
Poo was right, she tried convincing herself.  
  
But still, she just had this feeling.  
  
Her feelings had never been wrong before. 


	10. Tricks

Dr. Ermino walked down the hallway of the Fourside Hospital for the Mentally Unstable, flipping through papers on her clipboard. The blue eyes behind her glasses were focused on the forms that Dr. Andonuts had signed just a few days ago. These sheets had permitted Dr. Ermino's patient to go out of the hospital a while.   
  
She had been one of the many doctors in charge of that particular patient. Such a strange case, she had thought. She had objected at first to his being put into Dr. Andonuts' hands, but he was a great and respectable doctor; she figured he would never let the patient out of his sight.  
  
In her musings, she bumped into Dr. Richards as she went by a large window that faced out into the street. She adjusted her glasses and nodded and apology to him as he walked past. She knelt down to pick up a piece of paper she had dropped.   
  
As Dr. Ermino stood up, her eyes drifted out of the window. It certainly was not a very busy day in town- what people there were on the sidewalk walked along quickly and with purpose... All except one. He was walking along, seemingly oblivious to the world around him. A young man with dark hair...  
  
Dr. Ermino gasped. Her eyes flicked to the piece of paper she had picked up. Paperclipped to it was a photograph of the patient.  
  
She looked back out to the man on the sidewalk. Photograph. Street. Photograph. Street. The man looked up at her.  
  
She ran for a phone.  
  
*  
  
Fourside certainly had changed, Ness thought as he walked along, his hands in his pockets. Like everything else had changed. A lot can happen in ten years...  
  
He was so lost in his thoughts he didn't even know where his feet were carrying him anymore. He let them take over and sort of drifted along the sidewalk, looking around but not really looking at anything. People passed him going both ways, some much faster than he was. the sidewalks were not very crowded.  
  
He began passing by a large white building.  
  
Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he saw something. He stopped walking, and turned to look up. A woman in a white lab coat and glasses was standing in the window holding a piece of paper. There was no mistaking her face.  
  
And she was looking at him.  
  
Shit!  
  
Ness ran, suddenly feeling as though he was choking on his own idiocy. How could I have been so stupid?  
  
Nothing he could do now but run. They'd be after him soon, no doubt about it.  
  
Unless she hadn't recognized him, he thought, running into the park and hiding behind a tree, looking back in the direction of the insane asylum. Impossible, he corrected himself. You were there for ten damn years, you think she wouldn't know your face after that long?  
  
Ten years... Ten years he wished had never happened. He at least wished he could forget them as easily as he had all that other stuff. He pounded the tree softly with the side of his fist and leaned against the tree, breathing hard. But then he looked up. It didn't matter how far he ran or where he went, Paula and Poo would find him with their psychic powers.   
  
Dare he go to another country? It could easily be done now... But no, before he found a place that didn't have people in it, where it would be safe to teleport, they'd have found him and packed him back away in the nut house. And Dr. Andonuts... Jeff's dad would be in trouble. Big-time trouble. He'd have to explain everything.  
  
Ness could never let that happen. He'd die if he had to, he thought, and suddenly remembered that he knew Healing and Lifeup and all that crap. How could he let himself die when he had those kinds of...  
  
Ah, screw it.  
  
He pushed off of the tree with both arms, ready to run again, but what met his eyes and ears made him stop abruptly and nearly fall backwards.   
  
People in the park were whispering around him. A lady in the street screamed. Two cars slammed into each other, and the drivers, nearly unfazed, got up to look at the sky.  
  
For the afternoon sky was suddenly pitch black. The sun had turned into a blazing white ball.  
  
Faster than Ness could think of a reaction, his friends were by his side.  
  
"Let's go!" Paula screamed, grabbing his arm.  
  
The last thing Ness saw before they teleported was a bright white light.  
  
*  
  
"...stronger than we thought... I can't believe we saw through..."  
  
Ness opened his eyes slowly, letting things come into focus. He felt nauseous.  
  
"Ness!" Paula was kneeling by him. Jeff was at his other side, "Are you all right?" Paula asked.  
  
Ness didn't answer. He sat up halfway and put a hand to his forehead, "What happened?"  
  
"Teleport Omega... We had to use it, we weren't thinking, it was too strong for you..." Paula said.  
  
"He'll be fine." Jeff, who was standing, said, "He just needs rest."  
  
"Where are we?" Ness asked, trying to sit up the rest of the way, but falling back again.  
  
"A place where I believe you have passed out before." Poo, who had appeared to come out of nowhere (and probably had, Ness thought), said, raising an eyebrow.  
  
Now that things were a little bit clearer to see, Ness was able to have a look around. He was lying in sand. The sound of waves came from in front of him, people from behind.  
  
"Summers?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah." said Paula.  
  
"What are we doing here?" Ness asked.  
  
"Pokey." Paula sighed.  
  
"Pokey?"  
  
"Yeah," said Jeff, "He's not only stronger, he's a little smarter than he used to be."  
  
"That's not saying much." even in his condition, Ness could still make jokes.  
  
"He was tricking us." Jeff continued, "Making us think he was weak. He nearly destroyed us... It took Poo's last shred of Psychic Power to Teleport first to Fourside, then to here."  
  
"Meanwhile, Pokey got Threed... And Fourside." Paula added.  
  
Ness was now nearly fully recovered. He sat up all the way and looked at Paula. "Well, I didn't blow up the hotel." he said.  
  
The faintest of smiles crossed Paula's lips. "No, you didn't." she said with a little shake of the head.  
  
Then there was silence. Only the sound of waves and the people around them.  
  
Maybe it was telepathy. Maybe it was just human intuition. But Ness knew what all of the others were thinking.  
  
If they didn't hurry, he never would get a chance to blow up the hotel again. 


	11. Former Friends

"What about Saturn Valley?" Ness asked, "Why couldn't we go there?" The four of them were standing by the wall that separated the beach from the regular part of town.  
  
"We didn't know how far we had to go, but we knew Pokey had the power to wipe out at least two cities." Jeff explained, "And now that he's getting close to them, the Mr. Saturn will be panicked. They know what's going on."  
  
"Two of us should go there to ward Pokey off and keep the Mr. Saturn under control. The other should go with you, Ness. You need more training." she paused. "Maybe-" suddenly, her cell phone rang. "Hold on." she said, picking it up, "Hello? Yes, it is... Oh, hello, Doctor. What... Yeah, he is... Hang on." she handed the phone to Jeff, "It's your dad."  
  
As Jeff took the phone and began talking, Paula looked at him first, then Ness, then Poo, then back to Ness. She bit her lip for a second, then said, "Poo and I think Jeff should go with you."  
  
Ness glanced over at Jeff out of the corner of his eye, "Somehow I get the feeling he doesn't like me too much now."  
  
"All the more reason." Paula said, "You two need to patch things up. Also, what you're working on now are psychic skills. Since Jeff doesn't have any, you wouldn't have any help in it. You'd get more experience."  
  
"Can't I just go alone? Where would I go, anyway? Back to Pokey's World?"  
  
"No," Paula shook her head, "We were thinking something like The Lost Underworld, or the Pyramid, or something. Something not too close to the area that Pokey's targeting right now. And going alone would be too risky," she went on, "Pokey could easily come and get you if you were alone. What was that about?" she asked suddenly, turning to Jeff, who had just hung up the phone.  
  
"He just called to tell me about some new inventions he's working on," Jeff said, handing the phone back to her, "And I told him about Fourside."  
  
"The Pyramid... The Pyramid... Oh, right." So many memories, Ness thought. It was getting harder to keep track of them all. "Is the Pyramid even there anymore?" he asked once he remembered, "I mean, a whole bunch of stuff has changed..."  
  
"It's still there." Paula nodded, "We've been there a few times." She turned to Jeff suddenly. He seemed to know what the look meant.  
  
He sighed, "All right." he turned to look at Ness, "Dad wouldn't mind if we stopped over by his lab to pick up some stuff. He'd actually be glad to show us some of the new inventions... But we wouldn't have too much time..." he held his chin in his hand, "And he's got a whole bunch of assistants now. You'd have to stay outside."  
  
Ness hesitated to agree. He still didn't think it was such a good idea. But Paula was right, once again. They all were right. He needed the training.  
  
"All right, whatever."  
  
*  
  
There was a light dusting of snow on the ground in Winters, even though it was the beginning of Fall. The sudden cold was a relief for Ness, who had been wearing a sweater right in the middle of Summers for the past few hours. He ran the hand that wasn't holding a new bat through his hair.  
  
"Okay, there's the lab," said Jeff, looking towards the large metal building, "Stay here." he said, and went towards it.  
  
Ness shot a look at Jeff as he walked away. His grip on the bat tightened. Jeff had sounded like he was giving orders to a dog. Ness waited until Jeff disappeared through the door. Then he steathilly snuck up to the window and peeked in.  
  
About seven young scientists were milling around, looking in microscopes, tinkering with little gadgets, or writing in notebooks. In the center of the round room stood Dr. Andonuts. Ness watched as his face suddenly lit up and he spread his arms open to give his son a hug.   
  
Suddenly something else caught Ness' eye. At the other end of the lab stood a large round object. Ness was trying to think of what it looked like when he saw one of the younger scientists drop a test tube near it. The young scientist rushed for a dustpan and was about to sweep up the broken glass when-  
  
"Don't get near that!" The muffled shout was audible through the thick window. Dr. Andonuts, who had been talking quite calmly with Jeff, suddenly turned and ran with much haste over to where the young scientist knelt. He and the young scientist shared some words. Then the young scientist abandoned the broken glass and Dr. Andonuts went back to talking with his son.  
  
Jeff and Dr. Andonuts left Ness' view. His eyes drifted back over to the strange object. It was something he'd never seen before, but it certainly looked  like something he had seen before.  
  
But what...?  
  
He decided to give it up after a moment. Turning away from the window, he leaned against the cold metal wall and looked up into the sky. It was white- covered in clouds. A light snow had begun drifting to the ground.   
  
Ness didn't know how long he stood there before he heard the door to the lab open. Jeff came out first, carrying two backpacks. His father followed, talking furiously about scientific stuff, half of which Ness couldn't possibly understand.  
  
"Ah, there's the lad!" Dr. Andonuts suddenly turned, walked up to Ness, and shook his hand, "So we meet again, my dear boy! I hear you're faring quite well."  
  
"Yeah, it's going pretty good."  
  
"Here." Dr. Andonuts took one of the backpacks off of his son's hands and handed it to Ness, "You've each got an Escape Rope, and some food... Plus some other little gadgets I think might be of use to you..." he chuckled.  
  
"What's this?" Ness, who had begun rummaging through the pack, took out a small ball with lights and buttons all over it.  
  
"Ah-ha!" Dr. Andonuts snatched it out of his hands, "This, my boy, is a Health Regenerator! Rather like that thing I had in my lab those many years ago, but much more convenient for travel, you might say." he grinned, "Just push this red button, or... Is it the green? Well, anyway, one activates the Regenerator and the other activates the Communicator. You can also communicate with it, but, eh... I don't think that will help you where you're going. Can't work if you're underground."  
  
"Hmm." Ness placed the Regenerator back in the bag and peered inside for a moment longer, then closed it and slung it onto his back.  
  
*  
  
"BoInG! DiNg! DiNg! BoInG! BoInG!"  
  
"Calm down, calm down!" Paula exclaimed. She and Poo had just teleported into Saturn Valley. The Mr. Saturn were crowded around them.  
  
"PaUlA! PoO! yOu HeRe!" one of them exclaimed, hopping frantically from leg to leg, "BiG fAt MaN gEtTiNg ClOsE-"  
  
"We know! We know!" Paula shouted, but it was no use. The Mr. Saturn were in a frenzy, "Poo, can you do something about this?"  
  
Poo extended his right hand and closed his eyes. A calm, blue aura spread over the Mr. Saturn. They fell suddenly silent and stared attentively at Poo and Paula.  
  
"Thanks," Paula said. She turned to the Mr. Saturn, "I know Pokey is getting close," she said, "But that's why we're here. Too help you. We can hold him off."  
  
She gave Poo a nod. He dropped his hand, and the Saturn broke out of the trance, and started talking to one another. One walked up to Paula.  
  
"wHeRe Is BoYnEsS?" he asked.  
  
"Ness couldn't come," said Paula, "But Poo and I will protect you. You have our word." the Mr. Saturn walked back into the crowd.  
  
"I really didn't want to do that," Paula said to Poo, "But we needed their attention."  
  
"I am understanding." Poo said, "Often do those that don't listen have to be forced when it is important. And we do not harm them by using powers."  
  
"No, we don't." said Paula. "But I never liked the idea of controlling someone's mind in the first place." she turned to face him, and sighed, "Let it be," she said, more to herself than to Poo, "At least they're calmed down..."  
  
*  
  
Failed again,  Ness and Jeff thought simultaneously. They were by the Pyramid, and Ness couldn't remember the key pattern to open the door. Jeff stood on the side, not saying a word.  
  
How many different patterns could there possibly be?, Ness wondered, scratching his head. All he could recall was that you didn't walk in a direct circle. Jeff just standing there wasn't helping at all.  
  
In his ponderings, Ness walked a few paces to his left, looking up at the Pyramid. His foot sank into a sudden depression.  
  
Bing.  
  
A note rang out into the dry desert air. Ness looked down. His right foot was pressed onto one of the five buttons.  
  
He looked around. Like lines and figures in a geometry lesson, a pattern appeared in his head...  
  
Bing.  
  
Bing.  
  
Bing.  
  
Bing.  
  
A star.  
  
Ness grinned as he watched the door open. But when he looked over at Jeff, he saw almost no reaction. His former friend wasn't smiling at all.  
  
"Well, let's go, then," Jeff said, walking towards the entrance. 


	12. Revelations

Three days. Countless battles. One new spell: Healing Omega. At this rate, Ness thought, Pokey would take over the whole world even before he learned all the new spells he was supposed to.  
  
Ness and Jeff were sitting on opposite sides of the passageway. Jeff appeared to be asleep. But Ness couldn't sleep. He sighed and leaned back against the wall, looking up at the ceiling.  
  
Ten years. Ten... Frickin'... Years. He just couldn't get over it. He wondered what sort of things had missed, what incredible battles the others had fought without him. It was a miracle Paula hadn't given up on him...  
  
But had she known he would rejoin them someday? She was psychic after all, and after ten years who knew what sort of power she might posses...  
  
And if Ness had had the power that Paula had, he would've known that at the other side of the passageway, Jeff was not asleep either.  
  
He was trying to sleep, of course. But his mind, like Ness', was clouded with questions.  
  
No wonder Paula likes him so much,  he thought bitterly, trying not to show his feelings on his face. After all,  he's got all the powers and the good looks... They have so much in common.  
  
He tried to banish the thoughts from his mind. You're  supposed to be his  friend, a little voice inside him whispered.  
  
Yeah, who says?  
  
Well, Paula, for one...  
  
"Jeff! Look out!" Ness' voice suddenly shouted. Jeff's eyes snapped open just in time to see a blurred shape lunge for him. He rolled away from it and stood up, putting on his glasses in the process. A mummy had somehow snuck up on them! It was still bent over and its head was turned towards him.  
  
Ness attacked first, while the mummy was still looking at Jeff, with a swing of the bat, down onto the head. A few bandages ripped, but the head didn't fall off. Holding the damaged bandages, the mummy stood up and looked at him instead.  
  
There was a small laser blast, and the mummy made a muffled noise and swerved around to face Jeff again. The gun in Jeff's hands was made to shoot tiny balls of concentrated laser energy.  
  
The mummy was moving quicker now, less stiffly. It swung a punch at Jeff, but was still too slow.  
  
Ness performed PSI ROCKIN' Beta. The mummy went flying into a wall, and its left arm crumbled off. As it turned to face them, more pieces crumbled into dust and fell off. The mummy was weakening.  
  
Jeff aimed and shot. The shot hit the mummy right in the center of the head, which exploded. Finally the entire body crumbled into dust.  
  
Ness sighed and leaned against the wall. There was a sliding noise. He turned just in time to see that the brick he had been leaning against was somehow ajar.  
  
"Ness?" Jeff asked, turning. Ness reached up slowly and pushed the panel open. Beyond was pitch blackness. But when Ness looked down, he saw three stairs, fading into the darkness. He looked up again, then at Jeff, then he began walking to get his backpack.  
  
"Your dad put any kind of flashlight in here?" Ness asked. He took out something that looked like tiny binoculars.  
  
"Here," Jeff said, snatching Ness' bag away and rummaging through it, "A lantern." He took it out. It would have looked like just an ordinary lantern, had the bottom part not been covered with knobs, and a button.  
  
"Thanks. And what is THIS thing?" Ness held the binocular-type thing up to his eyes, but it only looked as through he were looking through a green window. The edge was flat, too. It didn't fit his face.  
  
"That's a translator." Jeff said, "I think he gave it to us in case we needed to read any hieroglyphics. Here." he took the Translator away from Ness and held it up to a picture on the wall.  
  
**Fish, ** read the word on the small screen. Jeff tossed the translator back to Ness.  
  
"Snazzy," Ness said.  
  
"You sure you wanna go down there?" Jeff looked down the passage.  
  
"Sure I'm sure." Ness said. He put the translator back in his bag, closed the bag up, and put it on. "It looks like a secret."  
  
"Maybe it should stay a secret," Jeff said, the slightest hint of annoyance creeping into his voice.  
  
"Jeff, Jeff, Jeff." Ness said, standing up and walking over, "Going into weird rooms and stuff is our business, remember?" he put one foot in, then the other, and stood on the first step. "Now, you comin'?"  
  
Jeff seemed to consider the options, then turned and walked away.  
  
"Suit yourself." Ness turned the knob on the lantern and pressed the button. A blazing light emerged from it, lighting his path. He ventured onward.  
  
Jeff watched the bright light as it appeared, then slowly began to fade away. His eyes slid to the panel that sealed the entrance.  
  
No,  he told himself firmly. He wouldn't dare...  
  
*  
  
Ness walked along the stairs. It was a narrow passageway, large enough for only one person to fit through width-wise.  
  
He wiped his forehead. It was getting hotter the lower he got. He had already taken off his sweater and put it in the pack. How much lower did this thing go?  
  
"Woooaaah!" he found himself yelling as he suddenly tumbled forward. He landed after a short fall.  
  
Well, I guess it's about five feet lower,  he thought, rubbing his neck. Should'a watched where I was going.  
  
*  
  
Jeff stood facing the passageway, arguing with his own conscience.   
  
He made his decision, walked forward a few paces, and began to close up the entrance to the passageway.  
  
Suddenly something made him stop: "Jeff? Jeff!"  
  
"Ness?" Jeff asked, opening the passageway again.  
  
"Yeah, I think you should come down here!"  
  
"All right, coming." You care too damn much, Jeff thought to himself as he got his bag, entered the passage, and began to walk down. The light from the lantern shone ahead of him, guiding him.   
  
"You might wanna watch out for that last step," Ness warned just in time to stop Jeff from going over the edge of the drop. The light blazed up into the opening. It faded a bit, and Ness' face was visible. "Well, c'mon." he said, and walked away.  
  
Jeff slowly slid into the hole, and landed on his feet in the chamber. He looked around.  
  
The room was completely empty. No monsters. No hieroglyphics on the wall. Nothing.  
  
But Ness was holding in his arms a large tablet, and was pressing the translator up to it, mouthing words.  
  
"What's that?" Jeff asked.  
  
Ness put it down on the floor and sat down. "Come look," he said. Jeff walked over to where he sat and kneeled on the floor.  
  
"Here." Ness put the translator up to the first hyegroglyph. **Spirits** **  
** **  
**

##### 

Ness moved the translator along the tablet. ** Four Strong**   
  
"Four strong spirits..." Ness said, "I think it's talking about us."  
  
"Keep going." Jeff said.  
  
Ness did keep going, and he read the words aloud, "Leader... Great loss... Great gain... The leader will suffer a great loss, then a great gain...?"  
  
"Your memory." Jeff realized. "Keep going."  
  
"Evil... Speed... Well, Pokey is sweeping along the Earth pretty fast, isn't he?" Ness looked back down at the tablet, "Great loss... Disadvantage... Powers... Connect?" Ness looked up, "What the hell does that mean?"  
  
"Hmm." Jeff looked at the tablet, "Maybe it means that if you can't gain all the powers you need to in time, and we're at a disadvantage... You need to connect all your powers."  
  
Ness scratched his head, "But to do that, we would need the-"  
  
"Just keep going."  
  
Ness sighed, "You're the boss," he said, once again putting his eyes on the translator. "Great... Magic... Great gain... Melodies...? Melodies... It couldn't mean-"  
  
"The Sound Stone." Jeff said.  
  
"But we don't have  the Sound Stone anymo- What's with you?" Ness asked. Jeff was suddenly staring straight ahead as if he was putting together pieces of fate.  
  
His head suddenly snapped back over to Ness, "Is there anything else?" he demanded.  
  
"Just this one big one." Ness focused on the hieroglyph at the bottom of the tablet.  
  
**Pain  
** **  
** **** "Pain." Ness said.  
  
"Hmm." Jeff commented. He removed his glasses and covered his eyes, "Can you read the last part again? The thing about the melodies?"  
  
"Sure." Ness said, "Great Magic Great gain Melodies."  
  
"And there's nothing else?"  
  
"Nope."  
  
Jeff was silent for a moment. Then he brought his hand away from his eyes. His mouth fell open.  
  
"I've got it." he said.  
  
"Got what?" Ness asked, standing up.  
  
"No, no, no, no, no, No time to explain." Jeff said, pulling on his backpack, "We've got to get back, we've got to tell Paula and Poo as soon as possible. Here... Put this in your bag." he lifted the tablet into Ness' pack. "You got everything?"  
  
"Sure, but why the big rush?" Ness asked, standing up and taking his pack and the lantern.  
  
"We've got to get back. We don't have much time." Jeff said, getting out his Escape Rope.  
  
"Well... All right..." Ness didn't know what Jeff was getting at, but he had always been a heck of a lot smarter. Ness placed a hand on Jeff's shoulder. Jeff threw the end of the rope out in front of him. It froze in motion of a moment, but then Jeff and Ness were being pulled forwards towards an instant exit...  
  
*  
  
"NeSs! NeSs! NeSs! NeSs! NeSs!" the Mr. Saturn jumped around his feet.  
  
"Of all the things that could've  not changed..." Ness said with a joking tone of voice.  
  
"BoYnEsS! YoU hErE! pAuLa AnD pOo Be MoSt HaPpIlLy!" One Mr. Saturn cheered.  
  
"Where are they?" Jeff asked. The Mr. Saturn started to lead them towards a building.  
  
*  
  
"So basically, what it says is, there will be four strong spirits who will fight a quickly growing evil power, their leader will suffer a great loss but also a great gain, but if they can't gain everything the group will be at a disadvantage, and the leader will have to connect their powers."  
  
"Sure sounds like us." Paula said. They were sitting around a table with the tablet in the middle.  
  
"It also said that to gain great magic, they would need melodies." Ness added.  
  
"Well, if it is  us, that definetelty means the Sound Stone." Paula picked up the tablet and held it in her hands a moment. She looked at Jeff, "Any ideas?"  
  
"Just one." Jeff said.  
  
There was a pause. Paula seemed confused for a moment. Suddenly, she gasped, and her face lit up, "Oh...!"  
  
Poo got it, too. He smiled slyly.  
  
"What?" Ness asked, "What am I missing?"  
  
"Well," said Jeff, "When my dad called the other day... He mentioned something about a new kind of Phase Distorter... One where we wouldn't have to get out brains put into robots this time... He's been working on it ever since Pokey started creating his world. He thinks it might be finished. But it hasn't been tested yet."  
  
"It's about to be," said Paula, "And it'll work, that much we know... That is if we're right..."  
  
Ness looked at Poo, "Are you getting any of this?" he asked.  
  
Poo smiled, but didn't answer. Instead, he turned to Jeff and Paula, "It appears one of us was indisposed for the event of which you speak."  
  
Paula and Jeff stopped talking and looked at Ness.  
  
"What?" Ness asked.  
  
"You were in Magicant when it happened." Paula said.  
  
"When WHAT happened?"  
  
"I'm not sure..." Paula shook her head, "But we may have something." she stood up, "You should come, Ness. For safety reasons." She leaned on the table and looked at Poo, "You should stay here, Poo. You're the strongest of us and is Pokey attacks this valley you may be able to hold him off a little." she looked at Jeff. He looked up. "Jeff?" Paula said, "It's your decision."  
  
Jeff sighed and looked at the floor. Then he looked up at Ness. Then he looked at Paula.  
  
"You know what my answer's gonna be, don't you?" he asked, leaning on the table.  
  
Paula smiled and waited.  
  
"C'mon, you know it won't work if it's not you or Poo."  
  
"Then it's settled." Paula said. She turned to Ness, "Let's go."  



	13. Distortions

The sun was already setting when Ness and Paula arrived in Winters.  
  
"C'mon, Paula, can't you PLEASE just tell me what's going on?" Ness asked, as he and Paula walked through the snow towards Dr. Andonuts' lab.  
  
"No. We have to do this as quickly as possible, the sooner the better. No time for explanations." Paula said. She reached the lab and knocked on the door.  
  
"Yes?" a voice said. The door was pulled somewhat ajar, then it was flung open. Dr. Andounts stood in the doorway. The lab behind him was now free of assistants. "Why, hello again! To what do I owe this visit?"  
  
"Hello, Doctor." Paula said, smiling, "May we come in?"  
  
"Of course, of course!" Dr. Andonuts stepped aside to let them through the doorway, "My assistants have gotten off work early, I needed to do some private work. But it can wait for a few moments. What can I do for you?"  
  
"I'll get right to the point," said Paula, "We need to use your new Phase Distorter. It's an emergency."  
  
The doctor's face fell a bit. He rubbed his beard absentmindedly and started murmuring to himself. "Dear, dear, dear..." he said quietly, as if he didn't have the heart to say it out loud, "Hasn't been tested... Shouldn't risk..."  
  
During the moment of pondering, Ness took the opportunity to look around the lab. It was easier to see things now that he was inside instead of peeking through the window, but not much seemed different.  
  
And then his eyes fell on the large machine.  
  
That's it!,  he thought. The new Phase Distorter! It really did look an awful lot like its predecessor... It was round and standing on four short legs, but no black swirl this time and no 'nose', it was simply a round metal sphere.  
  
"Doctor," Paula was saying, "I know it hasn't been tested, but we need to use it. It's necessary to our cause. And if..." she paused, "If it is what we think  it is, there's no need to worry. It will work. "  
  
Dr. Andonuts rubbed his chin some more, then finally sighed. "Very well, very well." he consented, "I suppose the four of you are up to your old adventures again..." he walked over to the Phase Distorter, "Aren't you a little old to be doing things like that?"  
  
"Aren't you too old to be handling things like this?" Paula said, running a hand down the smooth metal.  
  
"Ah. Touche." the Doctor said, turning a knob. The front of the Phase Distorter began to ripple like a pond. "Go on in," he said to Paula and Ness, "The controls aren't that different from the last one."  
  
"After you." Paula said to Ness. He walked over to it and stepped in.  
  
"Thank you, Doctor," Paula said. She got in, but then stuck her head back out, "And don't worry. We'll be gone as soon as we leave." she disappeared into the rippling metal.  
  
Inside the Phase Distorter, Ness was flopped down on a cushioned chair that protruded from the wall, and having a look around. It looked very much like the sort of thing you would find in an old science fiction movie. Lights and buttons everywhere, and a main control panel. He watched Paula step in, stick her head back out, say a few words to the doctor, and come back in. She began to press buttons on the control panel. Finally she pulled a lever back, and the Phase Distorter began to vibrate.  
  
"Here we go!" Paula shouted, but Ness didn't hear her. They were already zooming back through time...  
  
*  
  
"He's alive." Paula said. She stood up and took a few steps backwards, standing in between Jeff and Poo, "I think it's like the Talking Rock said... He's in 'his world'." She looked down at Ness, who had collapsed in the middle of the Sanctuary, "I wonder what it's like."  
  
"I hate to admit, I am in envy of him." Poo said, looking up at the tiny volcano, "Not many get a chance to see what he is seeing at this moment. A world made of their own thoughts and dreams."  
  
"I guess we can only wait now." Paula sat down on the ground and rested her chin on one hand.  
  
Suddenly, they heard a noise. "What's that?" Paula asked, leaping to her feet.  
  
"Look!" Jeff pointed over towards the edge of the cliff, where something had begun to materialize... The three of them stepped back, ready to attack if it was dangerous.  
  
The thing finished appearing, and the front of it began to ripple. Out stepped a woman with blonde hair. Paula let out a little gasp and took another step backwards.  
  
"Who is that?" Jeff wondered aloud.  
  
"It's... me." Paula whispered, incredulously.  
  
"What?" Jeff asked.  
  
The woman looked up and smiled.  
  
"Oh my God, it's me..." Paula said again.  
  
"How do you know?" Jeff asked.  
  
Paula turned to him, "We share the same brainwav-" she stopped when she heard the woman saying it with her. She faced front and covered her mouth with her hands.  
  
Suddenly, someone else stepped out of the thing. A man with black hair and brown eyes.  
  
"And you're Ness..." Paula said, pointing at him.  
  
"Huh?" he asked.  
  
"That's Ness all right." said Jeff.  
  
"Hey-!" the man said, straightening.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Paula asked slowly, as if she were talking to members of an alien race.  
  
The older Paula's eyes drifted to the hand of the boy who was lying unconscious on the ground, "We need the Sound Stone," she said, looking back at her younger self.  
  
"The Sound Stone?" Young Paula asked, looking at Young Ness, "What for?"  
  
"Well, it's kind of a long story," Paula replied, "But let's just say that your troubles aren't quite over."  
  
"Wonderful." Paula said sarcastically, "But we won't be needing the Sound Stone anymore?"  
  
"No." Older Paula shook her head, "We, however, do. May we take it?"  
  
"Hmmm..." Paula said, looking at the Sound Stone.  
  
"I believe you should be trusting of them, Paula." said Poo, "I too sense that they are true in their saying."  
  
Young Paula bit her lip. "Well, if you think so, Poo..." she thought a moment longer. "Sure." she sighed, "I guess so."  
  
Older Paula turned to Older Ness, "Would you do the honors?" she asked.  
  
Ness stepped cautiously forward and kneeled next to his younger self. He reached out with one hand and grasped the Sound Stone. Immediately, something like a small electric shock ran up his arm. The Sound Stone came loose from Young Ness' hand.  
  
Older Paula looked at her young counterpart as she walked back to the Phase Distorter, "I know you don't fully trust us now," she said, "But someday you will." she stepped into the Phase Distorter.  
  
Ness stood as well and walked over to the machine. "Oh, and Jeff..." he said, pointing an index finger at the boy with glasses, "Stay away from my girl." With that, he stepped in.  
  
"So," he said after a short pause. He had stopped after stepping into the Phase Distorter and was looking at the Sound Stone in his hand, "Are those kids gonna grow up and go back in time, and then the kids they visit are gonna grow up and go back in time, and the kids they visit..." he put his free hand to his forehead, "I mean, how many of us are there?"  
  
"It's best not to think about it." Paula said. She reached one hand out of the Phase Distorter. "PSI Memory Beta." she said softly, as Ness sat down again in the chair. Then Paula pushed a few buttons, pushed the lever forward, and they were off.  
  
Young Paula, Jeff, and Poo stood in a daze for one moment. Then, suddenly, Jeff saw something, "What's that?" he asked, pointing.  
  
Paula and Poo looked just in time to see the Phase Distorter disappear. 


	14. Mental Roller-Coaster

As the sun began its descent under the hills surrounding Saturn Valley, the Mr. Saturn began filing into their little cylindrical houses. Not many of them stayed up past sunset.  
  
Ness sat leaning against the little house that he and his friends were sharing. He was once again looking up at the sky, waiting for the stars to appear. He had a new outfit on- one that was more compatable to changing weather condiditons than a sweater: Jeans with a white T-Shirt and a thin jacket tied around his waist. Paula had gone out to buy it after they had returned from the past.  
  
"BoInG... dInG dInG... bOiNg..." voices said faintly off to his left. A small group of Mr. Saturn were standing in a circle and speaking quietly to each other. They seemed to be more reserved at night. Or maybe they were the older ones who didn't have as much energy as the rest. Ness yawned. The last three days had been most exhausting, not to mention the fact that he had had to put up with Jeff the whole time... He blew some air out of the side of his mouth and closed his eyes. Patch things up. Right. Fine. Sure. Whatever you say, Paula...  
  
And still, with this whole thing about Pokey and running around, there were times when he felt that just... nothing happened. Like after they had returned, for instance. Paula had gone out shopping, and the boys had just stayed in Saturn Village, waiting to see if Pokey showed up at all. If they were so desparete at getting rid of him, why didn't they just go now and strike while he was weak? It didn't make any sense at all to Ness. But then, a lot of stuff hadn't made sense recently... If not for the past twelve years. That one, fateful night, twelve years ago, when a meteorite had landed practically in his backyard without blowing the Earth to bits. Pokey had just been a regular kid Ness' age back then. Hell, Ness  had been a regular kid Ness' age back then. Funny how things change...  
  
Amidst his thoughts, he drifted off to sleep.  
  
*  
  
She stood in a corridor of the Pyramid that looked just like all the other ones... Long and dank and damp. But there were no torches on the walls. The corridor ended in darkness.  
  
Paula tried to move his feet. She couldn't.  
  
Suddenly, she heard a whisper. Someone calling her name. A white and green feather drifted past her on a breeze that she couldn't feel, whispering her name. She stared at the feather until she heard someone else call her name.  
  
"Paula!" it was a desparete voice, calling from somewhere down the corridor behind her. "Help me, Paula!" It was Jeff!  
  
Her first impulse was to turn and run backwards, towards Jeff. But something else pushed aside that feeling. There was something of greater importance- much greater. If she didn't do this thing, she would lose something very dear to her.  
  
Get the feather!  
  
Paula's feet flew off of the sandy floor as if someone had pushed them off, she sped towards the feather, now drifting away from her more quickly, trying to grab at its frail figure. Though she was going away from it, Jeff's voice was getting louder... Her name, over and over again...  
  
Get the feather, get the feather, get the feather, get the feather, get the feather, get the feather, get the feather, get the feather, get the feather.......  
  
She was almost upon it... Just a few more inches...  
  
"Paula!" Jeff suddenly jumped out in front of her, appearing as though he'd come through the wall. The feather picked up speed and ran right through his heart, only to continue swirling through the darkness. Jeff fell to the ground.  
  
The scene rippled like the surface of a pond and everything seemed to glow for half a second. Paula felt herself drifting back into conciousness. She kept her eyes closed, focusing on the dream. Something in her psychic power told her that this dream was very important. She must not lose it.  
  
When she was sure that every detail was imprinted in her memory, Paula finally chose to open her eyes. It was still dark. She was sleeping in her bunk above Poo, who was humming softly to himself in his sleep. Jeff, in the bottom bunk at the other end of the room, was also sound asleep. But the bunk above him was empty. Where was Ness?  
  
Paula sat up, trying to calm herself. Merely a dream, she told herself, a vision of the mind. It is important, but stow it aside for now. Call upon it again only when you need it.  
  
She shifted her head to one side so she was looking out the window. Two sneakers peeked over the bottom of the window.  
  
Paula straightened to see more. There was someone lying on the grass outside. Ness. She'd better wake him up and get him inside...  
  
*  
  
White, pulsating light. That's all he could see for a moment. Then Ness looked down. He was standing on something that looked like a black, plastic tube. Coming from it was bright, white light, pulsating softly. He looked around. Nothing around him.  
  
When suddenly came a push from behind. With a yell of suprise, Ness went tumbling forward and did a front flip, landing on his back. He began sliding along the outside of the tube, which had taken quite a sudden drop. He soon realized that even without holding on, he was able to glide along smoothly.  
  
It was a rollar-coaster, that's what it was. His own personal rollar coaster. It was fun. Loops and sharp turns and swirls, and he didn't fall off. The ride lasted quite a while.  
  
Eventually, he felt that mystical knowledge we quite often acquire in dreams- in the dream, we KNOW something is to be, though it is not true, or even irrational, in the real world. What Ness knew at this moment was that the ride was about to come to an end. He got to his feet and spead his arms wide, laughing, wanting to enjoy the last few moments as much as possible.  
  
Suddenly, he opened his eyes and saw a greusome sight. A huge, fat face floating in mid-air, exactly where the ride would end.  
  
"Having fun, Pig's Butt?" the face cackled, and as Ness reached it, something hard hit him in the forehead, and the tube somehow disappeared from under his feet, and he was falling into endless darkness.  
  
The laughter of the face was replaced by a darker noise, one that spoke to the very core of his soul....  
  
Ness, Ness, Ness, Ness, Ness, Ness, Ness, Ness...  
  
Giygas.  
  
Ness, Ness, Ness, Ness... Ness... Ness... "Ness... Ness...  Ness... Ness... Ness? C'mon, get up..." Someone was shaking his shoulder gently.  
  
"Mmmph..." Ness muttered, and opened his eyes. The dream was fading away. Ness tried to grasp ahold of it and hang on. But all he could remember was the last few moments... The pain in his forehead, the falling, and the chanting... He vaguely remembered someone laughing, too... "Paula?" he asked, looking at her.  
  
"C'mon," she said, standing him up, "You better come inside."... 


	15. A Two-Day Journey

"Are you sure this is safe enough?"  
  
"I'm sure. If Pokey shows up we'll hold him off so he can't get in. I doubt he'll show up anyway... His power was drained so recently that he'd practically be killing himself coming here in the first place." Paula put her arms around Ness' neck and kissed him lightly on the lips, "Good luck." she walked out.  
  
Ness watched her go. Then he looked around. Paula had brought him into one of the small caves near Saturn Village so that he could have somewhere safe to take his journey into Magicant. In one hand he had the Sound Stone. The corridor was mostly dark, but a small bit of light was shining from where the cave ended. Ness looked at the Sound Stone in his hand. He might as well get it over with. He sat down and took a deep breath, then held the Sound Stone to his forehead and collected his thoughts...  
  
The familiar connection was made just as quick as the last time he had used it... A rush of music flowed into his head, eight melodies playing all at once, yet somehow each discernable from the others.  
  
Ness smiled faintly. This wasn't painful at all. What had the tablet been talking about, then?  
  
That was the last thought he had as his concious self. His mind folded in on itself, flinging him into the world of his subconcious.  
  
The gateway into Magicant was similar as well... He found himself floating in darkness, and when he looked up, a tiny pimprick of light was floating in front and a little above him. He reached up to put his hand in front of it. The light grew and his hand became a sillouhette.  
  
This is where the gateway begen to change.  
  
The last time, when Ness had entered Magicant from the Fire Spring, he had seen memories of the adventure flash before his eyes. This time he found himself staring helplessly into memories of not remembering, times that had really happened not so long ago, but seemed so distant now.  
  
The surge of sudden power following the memories was no different, but it felt so much stronger now that he hadn't felt anything like it in ten years. New spells and skills entered his mind so fast and furiosly that he didn't have time to keep track of them all. They would all fall into place once he reached Magicant...  
  
Then, he once again found himself in a black and white scene. Like the last he had seen, it was a memory he didn't remember, something he had experienced but had lost. This time it wasn't a vision of himself as a baby, though. He was forced to watch himself during one of his lapses. A feeling of heavy embarassment settled upon his shoulders as he watched himself ramble on and on about the most "rediculous things". He really had  looked crazy. No wonder they kept him there for so long, trying to find out what the hell was wrong with him. But they didn't know now, and they might never know. They were trapped in Pokey's world. For good, unless Paula's ideas about "bringing the world back" held any water...  
  
"Where's Pokey?" the memory Ness was saying with that blank look, "He's gone somewhere and we need to find him... We destroyed Giygas but he escaped..."  
  
"Mm-hm, mm-hm." the doctor sitting across from him said, making notes on a clipboard, "Just who is this 'Giygas'?"  
  
This must have been an early one, Ness realized. They still thought he could hear them when he was like that.  
  
"Paulajeffpoo, paulajeffpoo." Memory Ness muttered, "We destoryed him, but Pokey escaped. PSI and prayer. We used it... We destroyed him. PSI, PSI."  
  
"Can you hear me?" the doctor leaned forward, adjusting his glasses, "What is PSI?"  
  
"I'll find him." Memory Ness stood up quickly, pushing his chair backwards, "I'll get back to Magicant..." he ran off.  
  
"Damn!" the doctor exclaimed, and took off after him, "Nurse!" The final word echoed, and the scene faded.  
  
*  
  
Magicant.  
  
The place hadn't changed much, but it looked old somehow. Unused. As well it should, Ness thought as he stood outside the door of the small building he had entered through.  
  
Anyway, now he had the power he needed to help his friends defeat Pokey. He could feel it coursing through his veins. Now all he had to do was find the way out...  
  
How had he gotten out last time? By battling the 'memory' of the Mani-Mani statue. He scowled, remembering that the memory was once again lurking somewhere in the 'evil' part of his mind. And Pokey was after it. Maybe if he defeated it again, Pokey wouldn't be able to get at it.  
  
He began walking through the small section of land and stopped at the edge. He sat with his legs dangling over the side, looking down into nothing.  
  
What about the re-arranging?, he suddenly thought. Paula's words came back to him: It's controlled by something far more powerful than the human mind alone... We don't know just what that is, but we're trying to find out. And when we do, we'll make sure Pokey can never get in.  Ness looked at his hand. The list of the new PSI he had learned was floating around in his head. He searched for anything that had to do with re-arranging.  
  
There! PSI Magicant Alpha. Allows the re-arrangement of Magicant. Uses no Psychic Power.  A voice seemed to say. Ness stood up. No Psychic Power? Then it should be very easy... He looked around, searching for something to re-arrange, and his eyes fell on a small flower that was waving in the breeze. Start small,  he told himself. Turn it into a rock or something like that.   
  
He didn't even have to think to be able to use the PSI. Just like all the others, he somehoe instinctively knew all the hand movements, what to concentrate on, whether or not her had to say anything- as soon as he learned it. For this, all he had to do was hold up a palm, stare at the thing he wanted to re-arrange, and concentrate on changing it somehow.  
  
Then why wasn't the flower turning into a rock?  
  
He concentrated harder. Nothing.  
  
He sighed exasperatedly and looked at the palm he had been using. Maybe he had to use the other one...  
  
Nothing.  
  
Even though no one was watching, Ness began to feel quite embarrassed standing there and holding his palm up to a flower like some sort of space greeting. He dropped his hand at his side, searching the list again for another PSI. He went back to PSI Magicant Alpha. It repeated the same thing, but then went on: Requires-  
  
Ness' thoughts and the voice were interrupted by a loud BANG from behind him. He turned and found himself starig right into the cockpit of Pokey's spider mech.  
  
It was empty.  
  
The spider mech was standing perfectly still. How had it gotten there?, Ness wondered. He glared at it with his body tensed, ready in case it moved.  
  
Suddenly, it did. The spider mech took a great flying leap into the air. Ness looked up as it reached its peak and began sailing towards him. His feet felt pinned to the ground, and he instinctively held up a hand to protect his face.  
  
He realized that this wouldn't do a thing half a second before he heard a CRUNCH and opened his eyes to see the spider mech lying in half-ruin on the ground. He blinked, confused, for a moment, then turned to see about fifty Flying Man clones. They were standing as if they were at attention, and a few were bruised or cut. They had attacked the spider mech. But where had THEY come from? Ness' head was spinning.  
  
He turned again to see the spider mech struggling to its feet. It began to run towards Ness, who looked back at the Flying Men, who prepared to attack again. Ness turned yet again, and the spider mech was closer than he had expected. Ness decided he didn't have enough time to attack. He threw his hands over his head and dove to the ground, hoping the spider mech would get attacked by the Flying Men- or turn, and give him another chance to be able to attack himself...  
  
But neither happened. There was a horrific crashing noise, and Ness was hit on the head with something hard. He looked up just in time to see a brick wall crumbling down onto him...  
  
Ness' physical strength dwindled, but stopped on the verge of 'death'. Ness opened one eye slowly, and saw only darkness. The songs of the Sanctuaries were playing backwards in his head...  
  
*  
  
Ness awoke, still leaning against the cave wall. The Sound Stone was still clutched in his hand, which felt stiff. He practically had to peel his fingers off it before standing up and walking out of the cave. Paula was standing down in Saturn Village, talking to some Mr. Saturn.  
  
Suddenly, Paula's head turned and she saw Ness. She ran to the small cliff and climbed up the rope to where he stood.  
  
"You're back!" she exclaimed, "Finally?"  
  
"Finally?" Ness asked, "It was only a few minutes..."  
  
"You were out for two days," Paula said, taking his hand, "C'mon." She began leading him back down the cliff.  
  
"Two days!?" Ness exclaimed, "Woah! Hey! Where are we going?"  
  
"You need your rest," she said as they reached the small house with their bunks in it, "Tommarrow, we go off to battle Pokey."  
  
"Pokey-?"  
  
"I know it must seem that things are happening a little fast," Paula said, "But this is how it's got to be done. We need to battle him again as soon as possible.  
  
"Now get your rest," she said again, opening the door to the house, "Tommarrow will be a very  busy day."... 


	16. Lessons

Pokey's Earth lay in silence. The citizens were fast asleep.  
  
Tracy lay in her bed, asleep. She had been asleep for ten years. Barely moving. Never speaking.  
  
Ever since Ness had regained his memory, an increase of power had enveloped his old house like a thick blanket. Tracy was so much under the spell she was barely breathing; only enough breath to keep her alive.  
  
The sheets rustled. Slowly, Tracy rolled over onto her side, murmuring one soft word:  
  
"Ness....."  
  
The statue gave off one huge pulse of light.  
  
*  
  
"Ness....."  
  
"Huh?" Ness looked around. He could've sworn he'd just heard his little sister say his name...  
  
*  
  
Get the feather.  
  
Paula stood on one of the cliffs near Saturn Village. The phrase had haunted her ever since that dream. Get the feather.  Why?, she asked her subconscious, searching for the answer. What is the feather? Why is it important?  
  
But her psychic powers were to no avail this time. She couldn't uncover the hidden meaning to the dream...  
  
*  
  
Poo stood in the cave where Ness had taken his trip into Magicant. He was practicing his martial arts. Kick, punch, spin kick, backward flip. Pretty basic stuff. He needed to save most of his energy for tomorrow.  
  
Suddenly he sensed the presence of someone else entering. He didn't turn. He didn't have to.  
  
"It's amazing." said Jeff quietly, leaning against the frame of the entrance to the cave.  
  
"What is?" Poo asked, turning.  
  
"Eleven years ago we were in this very spot. Waiting to go off to battle Giygas..." Jeff took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes, "I just think it's a bit ironic, that's all." He added, putting his glasses on again.  
  
"Hmm." was all Poo would say. He had always had a knack for making things short and to the point, "There is something else you are thinking about, I think..."  
  
Jeff looked at him a moment, then stood up and began walking into the cave, "I guess there's no hiding it from you," he said, rubbing the back of his neck a bit self-conciously. "I mean, I just wonder if she knew or... Well, never mind." he turned abruptly and began walking back out.  
  
"It is not good to keep things inside," Poo said, "Sooner or later you must say to someone."  
  
Jeff stopped walking, but didn't turn. There was silence for a moment.  
  
Poo gave a small sigh, then broke the silence, "This is going against my teaching," he said, looking away, "I am not supposing to tell others what I read in minds, but... Ness is indeed wondering the same thing."  
  
"What?" Jeff said, turning.  
  
"He is wondering, did Paula know." Poo said quite plainly, "He is as much confused as you are, good friend." He paused. "Life is quite full of many confusions." he said, walking towards Jeff, "Often one does not know how much this is true for others than himself." He finished, and stopped walking. He and Jeff stood three feet away from each other, face to face.  
  
Jeff took a moment to put his thoughts together, then spoke. "If this goes against your rules," he said slowly, as if he still weren't sure of it, "Why are you telling me?"  
  
Poo smiled. "Sometimes one must bend the rules a bit." he said. "For a friend."  
  
He walked past Jeff, out of the cave.  
  
Jeff, paused for a moment, then turned and opened his mouth as though he were about to say something.  
  
But he stopped, and decided to just watch Poo walk off.  
  
*  
  
Ness opened his eyes blearily. Paula's face was looking back at him.  
  
"Morning, sleepyhead." she said cheerfully.  
  
"Huh?" he asked, rubbing one eye.  
  
Paula held up a bag. "Time to suit up," she said.  
  
*  
  
Paula clipped on a defense bracelet. Poo began centering his thoughts. Jeff flicked the activation lever on his ray gun and placed it in the holster at his side.  
  
The sound of a door opening made them all turn.  
  
"Is this all really  necessary?" Ness asked. The black windbreaker jacket that had been tied around his waist was now over his shirt. In one of the inside pockets was the Sound Stone. In the other was a supply of lead balls for the slingshot that was stuck in a special belt around his waist. On the other side of the belt hung his bat, held in place by a clasp. On each wrist was a defense bracelet, and there was a defense charm on a chain hung around his neck. "All this... stuff, I mean."  
  
"You're just not used to it anymore." said Paula. She was equally as covered in gadgets, "And Pokey's the strongest enemy we've ever battled. You'll need it.  
  
"Now..." she went on, turning to Jeff, "Jeff, if you would."  
  
Jeff nodded, and cleared his throat, "All right then," he said, walking a few paces and turning to face them all, "Here's the deal. What we're going to try to do here is get to Pokey's world and confront him as soon as possible." He looked over at Ness, "Since you're here now, it might take a bit of work. Pokey knows as much as we do that that Sound Stone you're carrying could spell his defeat. But that's the whole point. We needed you to gain whatever power you needed before we went off and battled him again; we didn't want to go weakened in the least bit. What you've got to do is make some sort of connection with his power and go into Magicant at the same time."  
  
"Wait, hold on a minute." Ness held up his hand, "I thought we were trying to keep him out  of Magicant."  
  
"Well... Yes, at first." Jeff said, "But that was until we realized that Pokey's power is the only thing keeping his world together. If we defeat him in the place that he created, everything... and, everyone... in it will be destroyed."  
  
Ness tried not to show the nervous feeling that had suddenly settled into his stomach at those words. Everything and everyone... That would mean his Mom... And Tracy. He nodded, showing that he was still listening.  
  
"Am I right in saying that when you went into Magicant... You experienced something that might have reminded you of Pokey?"  
  
Ness nodded. The spider mech.  
  
"That was because of Pokey's grasp on a few of the Sanctuaries. When you enter Magicant from his world, it will be... rather warped, I'm afraid. Just thought you should know." Jeff finished, then quickly went on, "Anyway, there's still another catch. And this is the most important." He paused to make sure everyone was listening, then went on, "None of us should be dead while you are in Magicant."  
  
"Why?" Ness asked.  
  
"Mental connections." Jeff said, pointing to his brain, "And for the same reason we can't destroy him in his own world. The way we work is, somehow we automatically get reincarnated after death, making it impossible for us to die of anything but old age. However," he said, beginning to pace back and forth in front of the three of them, "Because of the warped nature Magicant will be in when you enter, and because of the power it will use to defeat Pokey, if any of us are anywhere near as indisposed as you are, the force that will draw your power to destroy him will draw from us as well. We'll be dead for good. Which is why we're taking plenty of PSI-enhancing things." he looked at the backpack Paula had on, which was full of equipment. "Can't run out of Psychic Power and have someone die on us." He stopped and faced them again, "Got it?"  
  
"Uh... sort of." Ness said, "Just one question: How am I supposed to make a connection with his power?"  
  
Jeff looked over at Paula and Poo, "Ehh..." he said, "Well, that is, we have our theories."  
  
"Theories?" Ness asked.  
  
"What say we play that one by ear." Paula said to Jeff, "We can't risk being wrong."  
  
"Right." Jeff said with a sigh. He looked at the ground a moment, then looked up again. He was smiling.  
  
"Well," he said, "Is everyone ready to go?"  
  
*  
  
PSI Shadow Alpha. Costs 15 Psychic Points. Causes the enemy blindness for a short period of time.  
  
That was the only thought that went through Ness' mind as they performed the lock-and-key method into Pokey's world. He was running through the list of new PSI in his head. It was keeping his mind off the upcoming battle.  
  
"Aren't these weapons a bit childish?" he asked Paula upon arrival. The four of them were walking down the streets of what was once Fourside.  
  
"It's what we're used to." she said lightly, making her yo-yo go up and down. She also had a slingshot. "Honestly, Ness, I thought you enjoyed this kind of thing."  
  
"Quiet!" Poo suddenly said. They all stopped walking. Something was rustling in a bush near them.  
  
Out skittered a small spider. Paula gasped.  
  
"A Parachnid." she whispered.  
  
"A what, now?" Ness asked. He looked at the spider, which was slowly skittered towards them, "It's a bug. "  
  
"So were the Antoids." Paula said, "Keep on your toes, Ness. This could get ugly..." 


	17. Touch of Evil

PSI Anticipation Alpha. Costs 45 Psychic Points. Allows you to anticipate the attacks of the enemy, but renders you unable to fight. Wears off after three turns.  
  
The list was still scrolling through Ness' head as he watched the spider stop in front of them, the pincers on its head clicking menacingly.  
  
"The Parachnid was the last creature created by Pokey. It's incredibly strong." Paula said, not taking her eyes off the bug, "Care to do the honors, Ness?"  
  
"Right." Ness said. He figured he'd start out with something simple.  
  
Ness performed PSI ROCKIN' Omega!  
  
The concentrated energy sent the spider flying. A thin strand of string shot out from it, wrapping around a nearby tree.  
  
"Spread out!" said Paula. The four of them quickly took different places around the tree. The Parachnid, in the meantime, began swinging on its string towards Paula. As quick as lightning, she whipped out her yo-yo and swung, whapping the spider so hard that it went flying around the tree, towards Poo, who spun in the air and kicked it towards Jeff, who fired his gun and missed, hitting the tree instead.  
  
Now it was the spider's turn to attack. It got its bearings and swung to the tree, where it sat in silence for one second.  
  
Then, suddenly, its abdomen sack got just a little bit smaller. Small, black specks began crawling all over the tree.  
  
"Damn." Jeff said.  
  
"Don't let one of those things get on you, Ness." Paula said.  
  
"How?!" Ness asked as the spider kicked off the tree and swung towards him. He swung at it with his bat but missed; the spider swung swiftly back to the tree, "They're so small!"  
  
"Just don't let them get on you!" Paula shouted. She swung her yo-yo again, and missed, but instead hit the string that attached the spider to the tree. It fell to the ground, into the grass.  
  
"Where'd it go?" Ness asked, looking for the spider while still watching for those little black specks- They were swarming all over the tree, and some appeared to be headed for the ground.  
  
"I'll find it." Poo closed his eyes and concentrated. He slowly began to transform into the Parachnid. The process got faster and faster until he was down below the grass as well.  
  
"Keep your eyes open." Paula said. Suddenly she gasped, "Ness, look out!"  
  
Paula performed PSI Fire Alpha!  The tiny black speck that had been crawling towards Ness' shoe became a tiny pile of dust.  
  
"Thanks." Ness said. Suddenly a hideous squeal sounded. Poo appeared, reverting to his original form. There was a bite on his arm.  
  
"I found it," he panted. Then, with a mighty kick, he sent the spider flying into a place where it would be more visible- the road.  
  
Jeff whipped out his gun and fired. The beam connected, and the spider squealed, collapsing onto the ground. It was dead.  
  
Poo fingered the bite on his arm, then quickly performed Healing Beta. The wound closed up, and the poison was removed from his body.  
  
"Let's go," said Paula after a pause, "We've got to get to Pokey as soon. He must know we're here by now."  
  
"Right." said Jeff, holstering his gun. He, Paula, and Poo turned to go, but stopped when they noticed Ness wasn't following...  
  
"Ness?" Jeff asked, turning.  
  
Ness stood looking at the spot behind the tree.  
  
"Ness, we gotta get going-" Paula started for him, but stopped when she saw what he was looking at.  
  
The statue. As twisted and as eerie as they ever saw it, standing quietly in the grass by the tree, slowly pulsating with its white light. As if it was watching them.  
  
Paula gulped, trying to tear her gaze away. When she finally found the strength to, she turned her head towards Ness.  
  
"Ness, stop looking at that thing."  
  
Ness almost didn't hear her. Her voice was echoing in his mind like it was from far away. The sculpture made his fingers twitch. A voice whispered directly to his mind- touch it... Touch it...  
  
"Ness!" Paula shouted again. She put her hand on his shoulder, shaking gently.  
  
He had felt this every time he had seen the sculpture. Just never this... strong. Touch it... His hands trembled, clasped in front of his chest. Touch it... His stomach lurched. A roller coaster. Touch it... He didn't think he could stand it any more...  
  
"GOD DAMN IT, NESS!" Paula shouted. She turned his head towards her with one hand and slapped him with the other.  
  
He was still shaking from the shock of the whole thing. He tried to calm down, putting a hand to his forehead. "I'm okay. I'm okay." he said breathily, trying to convince himself more than the rest of them.  
  
"Good. Let's go." Paula put her hand back on his shoulder and they all began to walk down the road.  
  
Ness glanced back over his shoulder. The sculpture was gone.  
  
You missed your chance,  the voice said.  
  
My chance for what?  he asked. But of course, no answer came.  
  
Underneath the dull pain left from the slap, Ness hardly noticed the small stinging in his leg.  
  
A black speck buried itself beneath his skin.  
  
*  
  
"All right. Everyone ready?"  
  
"Ready." said Ness. After walking a safe distance from the site of their battle, they had gotten their life energy and Psychic Power restored by the equipment in Paula's backpack.  
  
Ness performed Teleport Omega!  They soon found themselves standing in the forest near Onett.  
  
"Cool." said Ness, "So that's Teleport Omega, huh?"  
  
"The very same." said Paula. "Pokey should be somewhere around here."  
  
Ness didn't have to ask why. He felt a strong surge of power coming from the area around his house. The four of them began to walk in silence down the dirt path. When they reached the library, they saw an astonishing sight.  
  
People lined the sides of the path, as if waiting for a parade. But they were not in a crowd- rather, they were lined up in single file, facing into the street. They didn't even glance at the four friends.  
  
Ness, Paula, Jeff, and Poo entered into the area where the people, like zombies, stood watching. Everything was deathly silent.  
  
Ness began to recognize some of the faces in the line... Frank, the gang leader, who had tipped him off about Giant Step... Orange Kid and Apple Kid, whose inventions he had invested in... Liar X. Aggerate, the old friend of his who had discovered the Mani-Mani statue... Captain Strong, who had challenged him... Even Dr. Ermino, who had taken care of him all those years... And countless others... Finally ending with Picky, and Mr. And Mrs. Minch...  
  
He's enslaved his own family,  Ness thought, looking into the glazed-over eyes of Pokey's little brother. Like the rest of the people in line, Picky's bodily functions had nearly completely shut down since Pokey's capture. He hardly looked older than the day he had delivered the fateful message to Ness. A letter from Pokey... Well, maybe a year older... That's what he was, anyway...  
  
Ness looked up. His house loomed in front of them. His own home. It seemed so empty now. Lonely, and desolate.   
  
Suddenly, a sound came from behind them. The familiar sound of softly pulsating light.  
  
Don't look, Ness told himself. He felt Paula take his hand. Don't look...  
  
Something was flying over his head. Involuntarily, he looked up.  
  
It was flying through the air like a black snake, slithering towards the roof of Ness' house. Ness turned. The statue was rapidly unraveling, flying over their heads. Forcing back the now nearly unbearable urges to touch the statue, Ness tore his eyes away from it, watching as it reached the roof of the house and began wrapping up again. It seemed to be wrapping around nothing, and yet... It seemed to be taking a sort of logical form. It wrapped in circles like it was forming a crude robe of itself. Nothing but the slowly pulsating light was heard.  
  
Suddenly, it reached the end, and a gigantic blast of white light was given off. The four friends cowered, shielding their eyes. Ness almost automatically threw his arms around Paula, trying to protect her. She huddled close to him until the light died down.  
  
Then, finally, they all looked again. A booming laugh rang out into the silence of Pokey's Earth.  
  
Pokey Minch sat on the roof of Ness' house. But it could easily said he was no longer Pokey Minch, a cowardly, annoying, little fat boy. He was huge, obese, and the unraveled statue wrapped around his body, exposing only his hands and head.  
  
Ness' jaw dropped. He hadn't expected for Pokey to look so... powerful. All he had been able to see in his mind since he had regained his memory was that neighborhood boy who had been led astray by thoughts of power and greed, sitting grinning in his spider mech, convinced he was on the path to happiness and glory. Sitting there with seemingly no protection, no giant machine surrounding his person, he seemed nearly as menacing as Giygas himself.  
  
Ness felt suddenly very queasy. He wasn't ready for this. But there was no turning back now.  
  
His arms were still wrapped around Paula, and as he stood in horror, he could only think of one thing to say.  
  
"Please tell me he's wearing something under that."  
  
"It's best not to think about it." said Paula, shaking her head slowly.  



	18. The Ride of Your Life

Pokey's laughter died down. He sat on the roof, grinning at them a moment before speaking.  
  
"So, the three of you are back." he said, "It looks like you've brought along a friend. Though I must say he doesn't look very familiar... But that's what ten years in a crazy house does to you, I suppose." he stopped to chuckled a bit. Then he raised an index finger. A white ball of light began building up around the tip.  
  
"Here." Paula whispered, her hand reaching up between her and Ness, with something clasped in it. The Franklin Badge.  
  
Pokey used PSI Laser Alpha!  The ball of light turned into a concentrated beam. It hit right in between Paula and Ness, sending the two of them flying apart, and the Franklin Badge dropping onto the ground. Ness scrambled to his feet as soon as he landed, performing PSI Cat Omega. The energy hit Pokey, who looked dazed for a moment.  
  
"Temper, temper." he cooed, as Ness caught the badge thrown to him by Jeff, "Time for your medication, Mr. Mental Patient. So who shall go first, hm?" He was interrupted by the flames that immediately came speeding towards him a moment later. Paula had used PSI Fire Omega.  
  
Pokey attacked again, this time with an attack similar to the ones Giygas would use- an invisible sheet of damaging energy, which hit Paula and knocked her onto her back.  
  
Jeff fired his laser gun, and hit, but Pokey had a shield. The attack came right back to Jeff in a diluted form, grazing his shoulder.  
  
Meanwhile, Poo had begun his turn, spinning into the Starstorm PSI. A direct hit.  
  
Ness used PSI Shadow Alpha!  A boomerang-shaped piece of darkness sped towards Pokey, but it didn't work.  
  
Paula whipped out her second weapon- the slingshot- and loaded it with three balls. They hit Pokey right in the face. One of them flew back to Paula through the shield, causing a small amount of damage.  
  
Pokey used PSI Thunder Delta!    
  
The first flash didn't hit anyone. The second hit Poo, who hardly seemed phased after Lifeupping himself. The third flash of lightning sped towards Ness, but the Franklin Badge reflected it, sending it right back to its source.  
  
Ness' turn. He felt like he was using an awful lot of PSI. But if he used one of his hand-held weapons, some of the damage would come back to him...  
  
"Paula!" he shouted, turning to her, while Jeff fired another blast from his laser gun and managed to nearly dodge the reflecting. Paula tossed Ness a PSI Caramel.  
  
"All right," she said, half-smiling as she threw the candy, "Time to show off!"  
  
Paula performed PSI Damage Beta!  The sheet of invisible energy sped towards Pokey, knocking him right in the head. He flinched, missing his chance for attack.  
  
"Woah!" Ness exclaimed. Powers equal to that of Giygas! Or something similar to it, anyway, "Hey, Paula!" He said, reaching into his pocket and taking out a lead slingshot ball. Time to get creative,  he thought, throwing it into the air, then slamming it towards Pokey with the bat, "I  wouldn't happen to have an attack like that, would I?" The damage came back, but was quickly Lifeup Beta-ed.  
  
"You should!" Paula shouted back, watching Poo attack with one of those spinning ninja disks. The disk broke the shield around Pokey and cut a slice through his hand, which was healed but still damage-causing.  
  
Ness searched through the list in his head. In the meantime, Jeff was attacking.  
  
There it was- PSI Damage Alpha. Costs 20 Psychic Points. Sends an invisible sheet of energy speeding towards the victim, causing light damage... PSI Damage Beta. Costs 25 Psychic Points. Sends an invisible sheet of energy speeding towards the victim, causing moderate damage...  "Sweet." he said, grinning, and quickly shutting the voice up. It was time to get back into the battle.  
  
PSI Freeze Omega from Paula. A few more lead balls courtesy of Ness. A laser shot from Jeff. A failed PSI Shadow Alpha by Poo. Then...  
  
Pokey used PSI Laser Delta!  The extremely intense beam sped towards Paula, who dodged just in time- but unfortunately her backpack wasn't so lucky.  
  
"Our supplies!" Jeff exclaimed, watching their line of defense go up in smoke.  
  
Pokey grinned. Not what he had planned, but things seemed to be looking up.  
  
Paula looked up at Ness from the ground where she lay, "Well, Ness, looks like this is as good a time as any."  
  
"Huh?" Ness asked, watching her get to her feet.  
  
"Make the connection!" she exclaimed. "Now! Before he takes one of us out!" She used the slingshot, taking her turn.  
  
"How?!" Ness asked.  
  
There was a pause as everyone seemed to consider this. Then Pokey spoke.  
  
"I suppose I ought to help you along," he said in a bored tone, "This battle is starting to tire me out; I would much rather end this quickly, wouldn't you? So here..." The 'robe' began to unravel from around his neck. When it was long enough, it stopped unraveling and snaked down, its end hovering in front of Ness.  
  
"Touch it, Ness." Pokey went on, leaning forward and resting one elbow in his knee, "You wouldn't want to waste another chance, would you... For the ride of your life..."  
  
"Why should I believe you ?" Ness asked. He was trying to sound skeptical, but somehow the words the ride of your life  seemed to tug at him like a forgotten dream. And maybe it was...  
  
"Don't you think there was a reason  you were the only one who wasn't repulsed  by this physical manifestation of my power?" Pokey said, raising an eyebrow, "Well, I guess that proves it, eh? It really is  you. Leave it to you and your little pseudo-hero squad not to figure something like that out..."  
  
Ness felt insulted for a moment until he realized what Pokey was saying. He's using childish insults to try and get me angry,  Ness thought. Why, he hasn't changed at all. Sure, he's got power- but he's still that cowardly, prideful, stupid little boy inside. I've just gotta hit the right spot...  
  
"I guess I could expect such a lame-o plan from someone like you," he said, crossing his arms.  
  
"What?" Pokey's eyes widened.  
  
"Yeah. You overblown piece of octopus pus. I see right through your crummy little plot. That's not your power at all, is it?"  
  
He had done it. Pokey's cry of anger nearly made the ground shake.  
  
"HOW DARE YOU?!" he shouted, his cheeks jiggling, "Touch it and I'll SHOW you how powerful I am! I'll show you all!" Ness smiled and reached for it, but the end of the 'snake' that was unraveled shot rapidly towards Paula.  
  
Paula tried to dodge, but it connected with her hand. What looked like black lightning surrounded her, and for a moment she was suspended in mid-air. Then, she dropped to the ground.  
  
"Wait!" Ness shouted. Oops,  he thought. "Stop!"  
  
But the strand of raw power continued on to Poo. Poo flipped and spun, trying to avoid it, but in the end it touched the back of his neck. Jeff, who had run over to Paula to make sure she was all right, got shocked as well.  
  
"Stop it!" Ness shouted, running over to where Jeff and Paula now lay. He looked down at his companions. Were they dead? He prepared to use Healing Omega.  
  
Paula's eyes opened suddenly. So did Poo's and Jeff's. They looked groggy, but they were alive. Ness kneeled down next to Paula and lightly stroked her hair with the tips of his fingers.  
  
"We're all right," she said, taking his hand, "Go on."  
  
Ness looked up at Pokey sitting up on the roof. He realized he might not survive the trip. None of them should be dead when he was in Magicant... Including him... He stood up.  
  
Ness turned to Jeff, who was now sitting up and adjusting his glasses. "Hey, Jeff."  
  
Jeff looked up.  
  
Ness looked away for a moment, then looked back at Jeff.  
  
"I'm sorry, man."  
  
"I'm waiting," Pokey said impatiently, "Let's get on with the circus, Ness. Leave the sideshow behind."  
  
There was a short pause.  
  
"I forgive you." said Jeff sincerely.  
  
Ness didn't even smile. Instead he looked over to Poo.  
  
"See ya, buddy."  
  
Poo smiled, brought his hands together, and bowed.  
  
This time Ness smiled. Then, with a look of determination, he turned back to Pokey.  
  
"Let's get this over with." he said, taking the Sound Stone out of his inside pocket.  
  
With his other hand, as quick as lightning, he reached out and grabbed the strand of power.  
  
He meant to put the Sound Stone to his forehead, but the 'lightning' seemed to attract it there. It was jammed quite violently onto his forehead with an almost magnetic force. Even though the lightning was black, the pain was white-hot. It entered through one arm and came out the other through the Sound Stone right into the core of his subconscious. Where the melodies of the sanctuaries should have been, there was a warped sort of noise, a cacophony of strange sounds that would have filled the bravest man with fear.  
  
As he felt himself falling into the world of Magicant, and as he braced himself for what was to come, he felt a split-second of calm. A voice entered his head that was no doubt a prayer from Paula...  
  
I love you.  
  
His last thought before everything went black was a prayer that he hoped she would receive.  
  
I love you, too.


	19. Losing the Feather

All the memories of the past journey flew past Ness so fast he could barely tell one from the other. He was able to catch little pieces, though... When Paula visited him in the hospital, the hotel in Fourside, the Skullspirit, the photo album, battling the Mirra, waking up in Summers, the Pyramid, the tablet, going back in time with Paula, Magicant, and finally a few flashes of the battle he had just experienced...  
  
The room was dark. No footprints lay imprinted in the smooth layer of dust on the floor, save two. Two footprints stood, oddly, on the surface of a round table in the middle of the room, by which was a simple wooden chair, covered in cobwebs.  
  
A door opened, a single light flickered and turned on directly over the round table.  
  
A man stood silhouetted in the doorway, hunched over as if he were exhausted. Slowly, he entered the room and walked towards the table. His feet left footprints, but somehow a breeze blew through the room, covering each one up again. The two footprints on the table lay untouched.  
  
The man sat down in the chair, which creaked under his weight. His deep brown eyes held a blank, unreadable look, as if he were trying to figure something out. He ran his fingers through his black hair and rested his elbows on the table. He inhaled deeply and sighed, but no dust entered his mouth. It rose an inch off the table and simply drifted back down again. The man closed his eyes.  
  
Plunk. A sudden noise made the man open his eyes and look up. A small, round stone lay in the middle of the table, directly between the two footprints.  
  
Without thinking, he picked it up, held it to his forehead, and closed his eyes.  
  
A sharp, twanging note vibrated through his skull, like a guitar string about to break.  
  
Then it broke.  
  
The sudden pain, like an electric shock, shot through his brain and down his spine. He threw the stone away from himself and clutched his forehead, howling in pain.  
  
Everything went black.  
  
*  
  
There was a far-away rumble, like distant thunder. Voices Ness didn't recognize whispered things in his ears. He opened his eyes. The voices stopped, but the thunder didn't.  
  
Ness stood up. There was darkness all around him. The 'memory of the thing forgotten', the dream, was still hanging over him like a dark cloud. He had dreamed that dream not a week and three days ago. Had it really been that short an amount of time...?  
  
A flash of lightning lit the area surrounding him. Ness jumped, not from the flash of lightning but from the sudden feeling he had gotten of someone watching him. He turned around.  
  
Another flash of lightning. Pokey was silhouetted by the light.  
  
Quicker than he could think, Ness grabbed the bat out of the clamp in his belt, ran forward a few paces, and swung. CRACK! He had hit right against Pokey's head.  
  
Ness found himself getting thrown backwards by PSI Damage. He hit the ground and rolled over onto his front. He didn't move.  
  
"Given up already?" Pokey asked.  
  
Ness couldn't answer. He was suddenly feeling very weak. He could hardly move.  
  
"What the hell is happening to me?" he managed to say.  
  
"Ah, yes, of course." Pokey said, striding forward and few paces and looking down at Ness, "One of my prized Parachnids seems to have infected you with a parasite. I knew those things would come in handy someday."  
  
"You son of a..." Ness started, and couldn't finish.  
  
"Watch your mouth, Pig's Butt." A sharp PSI Laser Alpha hit him in the shoulder. Ness found himself getting thrown backwards into something. He held onto it with a death grip, trying with all his might to keep on his feet.  
  
Ness performed Healing Omeg...  
  
Ness performed Healing Omeg...  
  
"Why isn't it working?" he wondered out loud.  
  
Another flash of lightning seemed to answer his question. Pokey now seemed to be striding proudly around the thing Ness was holding onto.  
  
"Ah, Ness, you've been careless." Pokey said, "You shouldn't have insulted me like that."  
  
"What do you mean?" Ness asked, not expecting an answer.  
  
But he got one.  
  
Another flash. But this flash could hardly be lightning. It had to be something else because of the way it lit the place up, and the way it seemed to hold onto its light for what felt like an eternity. Ness saw the warped version of Magicant... No longer a sunny place filled with color, but a black, desolate landscape, with trees growing out of the gray soil as twisted as the statue. Ness was holding onto one such tree. Every here and there were pools of red liquid with the consistency of blood, bubbling with gut-wrenching sounds. Above swirled deep purple storm clouds. In the distance were mountains, twisted into the forms of maniacally laughing faces.  
  
And ahead... straight ahead... were Paula, Jeff, and Poo...  
  
"Well, well, well, what have we here?" Pokey asked, "A touching little scene, isn't it?"  
  
Jeff was lying on his back, propped up against a tree. Leaning over him were Paula and Poo, their faces fraught with worry.  
  
Ness was worried for a moment, too. But then he shook his head back and forth rapidly, shaking the worry away. What if this was a trick? How did he know it was really happening?  
  
"See for yourself, Ness, what your foolishness brings about..." Pokey said. He was now standing behind the tree as if he were the narrator for a story, unseen by the characters. "Who would have guessed that this physical manifestation of my awesome power would have sucked away all their Psychic Points, and yours I might add? Really quite an unexpected glitch for you, if I do say so myself..."  
  
"Psychic Points?" Ness panted. He didn't think he could keep holding onto this tree for long, "But Jeff... Doesn't have..."  
  
"Of course, with no Psychic Points to be stolen, something else had to be taken from our dear  friend Jeff." Pokey said, now walking up beside Ness, "You really  shouldn't have made me do it, Ness. It's your own fault."  
  
"No..." Ness said, so quietly he was almost not saying anything, "That's not what I... I was only trying to... get... information..."  
  
"Paula..." the word echoed through Magicant. Ness looked up. Jeff had spoken.  
  
"Jeff." Paula sobbed. She was kneeling by him, holding his hand. "Hold on. Please..." Every word she said echoed as well, like the words of a ghost. In her mind, she was straining with every bit of her psychic power to keep Jeff alive. The fragments of his life, like feathers, drifted ever father away. Get the feather... Get the feather...  
  
"You'll make it, friend." Poo said, resting his hand of Jeff's shoulder, "Just a little longer..."  
  
"I don't think I can..." Jeff whispered.  
  
"Jeff... Please..." Paula said, tears falling softly down her cheek. The feather... Get the feather...  
  
"Paula!" Ness cried. He let go of the tree and tried to run towards her, but instead fell down onto his face. Calm down, he told himself. It might just be a trick... It might not really be happening...  
  
But what if it was?  
  
"Paula!" he called out. "Jeff! Can you hear me?"  
  
"They can't hear you, Ness." Pokey said.  
  
"Paula... I..." Jeff whispered. His voice was fading, "I just want you to know that... I think you and Ness... deserve..."  
  
"No." Paula sobbed, shaking her head. Her grip on his hand tightened. Get the feather...  
  
"Shh." Jeff reached up with one hand, brushing a tear away. Paula smiled faintly.  
  
Got it!  
  
The last feather, carried on the back of the wind, was clasped between her fingers. Don't let go...  
  
"Paula... I..." Jeff said faintly.  
  
"I know." Paula whispered.  
  
The 'wind' picked up.  
  
Paula lost the feather.  
  
Jeff's arm went limp.  
  
Paula knew what she had to do. There were only seconds before the last feather disappeared into the horizon.  
  
Slowly, she leaned down.  
  
And kissed a dead man.  
  
The images of Paula, Jeff, and Poo slowly faded away from Ness' sight. As he lay there on the ground, a tear broke loose from behind his eye and fell to the ground. The light faded as well. Ness was once again surrounded in darkness.  
  
Suddenly, his sorrow was replaced by something else. An odd sort of strength. He slowly got to his feet. Pokey started, surprised.  
  
"You son of a bitch." Ness said. "I'll kill you."  
  
"You brought this on yourself, you know." Pokey said. But there was a slight waver of fear in his voice.  
  
"I'll kill you." Ness said again. He got to his feet.  
  
"You don't have the power." Pokey said.  
  
"Power?" Ness asked. The parasite was still present. After a few paces, he had to lean against the tree again.  
  
PSI Magicant Alpha...  
  
"Does power really have anything to do with it?"  
  
Allows the re-arrangement of Magicant...  
  
"Evil will never win, Pokey..."  
  
Uses no Psychic Power...  
  
"No matter how strong."  
  
Requires heightened emotional stress.  
  
"What just happened may be my fault..." Ness said, "But you brought this  on yourself, Pokey Minch. " He reached up with one hand.  
  
And rearranged Magicant.  
  
There was an explosion of light, and a sound to match. Pokey's howl of anguish echoed through Magicant as the ground shook and opened up beneath him. His power unraveled off of his body as he fell into the endless depths, entering into Ness' hand. Ness' skin began to glow like white-hot metal, and when all of Pokey's power had been sucked away, the glow exploded outward, covering all the vast fields of Ness' mind...  
  
Darkness. 


	20. Epilogue

A/N: I am actually just about to write the last four words of this epilogue, but I'd like to take the time to say a few things.  
  
First of all... I never meant for this story to go beyond part one.  
  
When I wrote "Cycle", my primary intention was to leave Ness stranded in that insane asylum forever. But then, when some people began reveiwing requesting more, I decided I was being creul. So I went for it. And look what happened!  
  
I'd like to thank everyone for their support and good reviews, especially D Marco, who got me out of my huge rut in Chapter 10. If it hadn't been for D Marco, the story probably wouldn't have turned out the way it did. It's been a joy writing this story. I hope you had as much fun reading it.  
  
That's pretty much it, except... Be sure to read my new story (which won't be as long), "The Boy, The Bee, The Hero", coming soon from ImagineGal's computer! ::wink::  
  
And now, sit back, relax, and enjoy our regularly scheduled epilogue...  
  
*  
  
PSI Memory Omega. Uses 45 Psychic Points. Allows you to erase the memory of any amount of time in any amount of people, and replace it with a new memory.  
  
The dark-haired man sat at the kitchen table, going over some papers.  
  
Suddenly, the doorbell rang. His wife ran in excitedly from upstairs, "They're here!" she exclaimed, "I'll get it!" She ran to the door and opened it.  
  
"Hello!" A crowd of people stood at the door, bearing presents. "Congratualtions!" a blond woman, who stood at the front, gave the wife a hug.  
  
"Come in, come in!" the wife said, welcoming everyone in. "I'll go get Jeff." she ran upstairs.  
  
"Hey, Mom." the dark-haired man said, rising from his chair and going over to the blond woman who had hugged his wife.  
  
"Oh, hello there, my darling! I'm so proud of you, Ness!" his mother said, embracing him.  
  
"Where's Dad?" Ness asked.  
  
"He should be here later. He had to finish some things up at the office."  
  
"All right. Hey, Tracy." Ness looked down at his younger sister- who had remained a girl for all those ten years she had been trapped. He ruffled her hair, almost resenting the now wide age gap between them.  
  
"Hey, big bro." she smiled up at him.  
  
His wife's mother was there, too, as well as her father and a few kids from the still up-and-running Polestar Preschool.  
  
"Hey, where's that asian guy?" one of the kids asked.  
  
"Poo?" Ness asked, "He's back in Dalaam. He's the king there, y'know. He's got important matters to take care of."  
  
"Here she comes!" Ness' mother shouted. Paula, Ness' wife, was coming down the stairs holding a bundle of blankets.  
  
"Everyone," she said, "I'd like to introduce you to... Jeffery." She pulled back a peice of the blanket, and a baby's face was revealed. He was sucking his thumb. All the women in the room 'awwed'.  
  
"He's so cute !" one of the preschool girls squealed.  
  
Ness walked over to Paula and put his arm around her. Everyone in the room applauded, congratulating them.  
  
The baby gurgled happilly, clapping his hands. His eyes fell on the bottle sitting on the kitchen table.  
  
He reached his little baby arms towards it. The bottle shook, then rolled and fell off the table.  
  
The cycle begins anew. 


End file.
